The Other Apprentice
by skarletfyre
Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Rated for language and content. TRILOGY IN PROGRESS!
1. The End of the Search

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I've rewritten this three times because I didn't know where to go with it, but I've since come up with a plot. I sincerely hope you enjoy it. Reviews are welcome.

* * *

Maxim Horvath closed his dark eyes for a bit longer than a standard blink. He was disappointed. After three years of traveling constantly around the globe, searching relentlessly, he was tired and frustrated and just wanted to go on a nice holiday to somewhere sunny and warm and totally isolated so the stupid people couldn't find him. And he'd had such high hopes for this one.

Three years ago, Balthazar Blake and the whelp of a Prime Merlinian had succeeded in their quest to defeat Morgana. Out of sheer dumb luck, he'd managed to escape that night with relatively little damage to his person. Unfortunately he'd lost his favorite hat, but that had later been replaced by the one he was currently wearing, which was much more expensive and stylish. Since that night, however, he'd devoted almost every waking moment of his time to finding the Prime Morganian, the one who would resurrect Morgana and serve by her side in the ruling of mankind.

Needless to say, it was very slow going.

He sighed and opened his eyes. He smiled kindly at the young girl, only slightly regretting what was to come. Her eyes widened as he pointed his walking stick at her, but it was over almost before she knew what was happening. She'd hardly had time to scream. He took one last look at her now lifeless form, then turned on his heel and exited the small tent-like structure.

* * *

With no great amount of interest, Tegan Callahan noticed that a new crack had formed in her ceiling since yesterday. The jagged line spidered out from the left corner, interlacing with the other, older cracks. She wondered idly how long it would be before the whole thing just collapsed and crushed her to death in her sleep.

She snorted, realizing how morbid that last thought had been and decided that since was obviously unable to nap, she might as well get up and contribute to something in some way. She rolled onto her side, swinging her legs over the side of the lumpy twin bed. The 8:00 train roared past her window, extending the spidery cracks in her ceiling. She halfheartedly brushed lead-paint flakes off her shoulder as she crossed out of the tiny bedroom into her cramped sitting room, robotically moving the slowly sliding glass fishbowl away from the edge of the table as she passed into the kitchen. She opened her ancient refrigerator and gazed upon the dismal contents: sour milk, a half-empty jar of salsa, what probably used to be steak before the mold grew, and a mostly empty bowl of leftover macaroni and cheese.

She looked at what used to be steak and shuddered, then grabbed the bowl of mac and cheese. It would have to do, because she was too broke to order pizza. The only things in the cupboards were spider webs, spiders, and a stale box of Count Chocula. In which spiders lived.

She roughly punched a few numbers into the crusty microwave that came with the apartment, praying that the food wouldn't explode this time. She sighed in relief when the high beeps signaling the end of the nuking was not preceded by a muffled 'whump'. She carefully extracted the bowl, hissing from how hot it was. She set it harshly on the counter top, then rummaged around for a clean fork. She was in luck.

A short while later, the now-empty bowl was tossed haphazardly into the ever growing pile of dirty dishes. Tegan paused a moment to make sure it wouldn't collapse. Once assured that it wouldn't, she headed back into the sitting room and threw herself onto the beaten up old blue sofa. She sat back, unsure what to do with herself now that she'd had food and couldn't sleep. She ran a hair through her dyed-scarlet hair, grimacing as her fingers snagged and tugged. She made up her mind.

About 10 minutes later she emerged from her bedroom dressed in a short black puffy skirt, a low cut grey top that matched her eyes, black leggings, and a worn old half-length leather jacket that she'd picked up at a garage sale somewhere. She fluffed her hair and applied charcoal eyeliner and some smoky eye shadow. The final touches were the latest Maybelline mascara and some scarlet lipstick. She added a thin layer of foundation to even out her skin tone, then played with the idea of adding a scarf to her ensemble. She decided against it, not liking the way it hid her long neck. It was one of her best features. Finally, she pulled out her obsolete cell phone and dialed the number she knew by heart. It rang twice, then a high pitched man's voice answered. She smirked to herself.

"Hey, Chris. Wanna hang?"

The voice on the other line answered excitedly. Tegan grinned.

"Maggie O'Toole's sound good? Yeah? Meet you there in twenty, kay? Love you too, babe. Wear something sexy."

There was a laugh from the other end of the line, then it went dead. Her grin broadened. She grabbed her old blue wool bag and slung it over her shoulder, making sure she had bus fare and her fake I.D., plus a little extra for snacks and drinks. She headed for the door, stopping just long enough to tug on her Peter Pan boots and lock her door, then she was out.

* * *

Horvath glanced back down at the crumbled printout of the girl's last known address. It was a dismal, run down apartment complex that practically reeked of sleaze. He sighed in resignation, looking more carefully at the paper.

It was her college identification record, which he'd easily persuaded the young secretary to give him. According to this, the girl had dropped out approximately 4 months ago, citing bankruptcy as the cause. He examined her photograph. She was certainly an attractive girl, though she looked a bit rebellious. Her short, choppy hair was dyed a shocking shade of blood red, her odd grey eyes framed with enough make-up to suit a raccoon. He could just see the edge of a tattoo of some sort on the back of her neck. He raised an eyebrow, sincerely hoping she wasn't the one he needed.

Out of pure chance, he happened to glance up at that moment. He almost couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, coming out the front door of the complex, obviously on her way out to a party or something. She glanced around, then hung a left and rounded the corner. Horvath cursed to himself and hurried across the street, rounding the corner just in time to see her climb onto a bus and take a seat near the back. The bus pulled away as he drew nearer. He glowered after it, and then was struck with an idea. He raised his walking stick, flicking it in the direction of the bus. A small dark cloud appeared above it, remaining even as it rounded the next corner. Horvath smirked, setting off at a leisurely pace after it.

* * *

Tegan wondered why she still bothered to bring her fake I.D. anymore. All the joints she frequented knew who she was by now, and no one had ever asked to see it. She supposed she was just cautious like that.

She looked around Maggie O'Toole's, recognizing several faces. She met eyes with the bar-tender and they nodded at each other, a secret understanding passing between them. She peered into the back, then grinned broadly and waved. She was replied to with a squeal and being rushed by very large, very tattooed black man. She laughed wildly as he picked her up in a bear hug, talking a thousand miles an hour, letting out a stream of swear words that would make a trucker's ears smoke.

Christian Mathis was 26 years old, 6 foot 7 inches tall, had tattoos covering the majority of his muscular arms and torso, and was gayer than Elton John and Sean Hayes combined. He'd been Tegan's best friend since 3 years ago when they'd met at the bikini waxing party of a mutual friend. Chris was great for a laugh and a good drinking friend, but he had to be stopped from going up and propositioning every attractive man that crossed his path. Tegan wasn't particularly good at this, because she often couldn't stop laughing, but she did her best.

Chris practically carried her back to their customary table, neither of them paying any attention to the startled patrons who were staring at them. They sat across from each other, immediately beginning to catch each other up on what had happened in the three weeks since they'd seen each other last. They both talked over each other, impossibly fast, and didn't hear half of what the other said, but that wasn't the point. They were together, and therefore invincible and almighty.

Neither one of them noticed the well-dressed, slightly overweight bearded man that stepped into the bar.

* * *

After a quick glance around the place, Horvath spotted her at a table in the back, sitting opposite a rather enormous African-American man, the pair of them laughing and talking like a pair of old ladies reminiscing on the good ol' days. Horvath stepped up to the bar and ordered a cognac, on the rocks. He sipped it slowly when it arrived, every few seconds glancing over to the girl's table.

He'd been sitting there for about 5 minutes when she suddenly got up and came towards him. He instinctively reached for his walking stick, but quickly realized he was in no danger. She leaned against the bar about two feet from him and tried to get the bar tender's attention. He was too busy watching the game on the large television screen over his head.

"Max!" she said ardently, startling Horvath. Then he realized she was addressing the bar tender, not him, which made him feel much more secure. The girl pounded her fist fruitlessly on the bar, the man oblivious to her and her intentions. Horvath made a split second decision and swung his walking stick over the bar, giving the oblivious man a hard jab in the ribs with it. When Max the Bar Tender whipped around furiously, Horvath jerked his head in the direction of the girl, who was now looking at him with both eyebrows raised and an incredulous expression on her face. He nodded politely at her, noticing that she'd changed very little in the 4 months since her college picture was taken.

He listened with one ear as she ordered two drinks; a blended raspberry margarita and a vodka with cranberry juice, on the rocks. He raised an eyebrow when she said to put it on her tab.

_So she must be a regular here…_

The drinks were quickly mixed and delivered, and she smiled at Horvath before taking them back to the table. He was further surprised when she placed the margarita in front of her companion and kept the vodka for herself. She obviously had better taste than he'd first thought.

After observing them for the next ten minutes, he realized that the black man was not her boyfriend. They acted more like a pair of school girls than anything. They were just… talking. It was all rather boring. He ordered another cognac and made himself more comfortable on the bar stool. He had a feeling he would be here for a while.

"Mm, I don't like the way that man over there's been lookin' at you, Baby Girl."

Tegan followed Chris's gaze over to the fancy man at the bar who'd poked Max with his cane. He actually wasn't that bad looking, just a bit on the hefty side. She turned back to her friend and took a sip of her drink.

"What are you talking about? He hasn't been looking at me."

Chris gave her a look suggesting that she was idiot, and was met with her very childishly poking her tongue out at him.

"I'm serious, T. Fatso over there's been leering at you every couple'a seconds since he got here. You ain't had a good view of him. Hmm, no, I don't like him at all… I think I'll go have a word with him about it."

Tegan quickly grabbed Chris's arm, dragging him back down from his half-standing position. She glanced back at the man, who didn't seem to notice anything, then stared incredulously at her friend.

"Are you insane? You can't just go up to people and 'speak to them' 'cause you think they're looking at me! Jeez, Chris, how did your mama raise you?"

"To stand up for what I believe in," he replied immediately. "And I believe that man is a perv and I wanna stand up and have a few words with him."

"No! Jesus, I'll fight my own battles. If you think he's leering at me, then _I'll_ go speak to him myself. I'll wait for him to leave then go out and talk to him, alright?"

"Hell no it ain't 'alright'. Ain't no way in hell am I gonna let you walk out in the dark after some pimp-lookin' old guy so you can ask him why's he been watching you. Um, no. And bitch be thinking' I'm crazy…"

"Oops, there he goes. Wish me luck, babe!"

"Hey!"

* * *

Horvath cursed at himself. He must have been glancing over too often, because the friend had obviously noticed him. He decided it was time for him to leave. He'd have to speak with her some other time. But with that massive friend of hers hanging around, he'd have no chance. He decided that he found something he hated even more than boyfriends: clingy best friends.

He paid his bill and replaced his hat, making his way to the door.

The cool Autumn win ate through his overcoat, sending a shiver down his spine. He looked around him, deciding on which direction to travel. He was unfamiliar with the area and didn't know where a good hotel was nearby. He started when he felt someone lay a hand on his arm, whipping around and instinctively bringing the head of his walking stick to rest under their chin. His eyes widened when he realized it was the girl from the bar. He quickly lowered his cane. She regarded him with weary eyes. He forced a charming smile.

"I'm very sorry, madam, you startled me. Are you hurt?"

"Um, no, I'm fine," she said, clearly trying to process what had just happened. He looked at her expectantly.

"Is there something I can help you with?" he said, trying to sound impatient instead of as eager as he felt. She'd come to him. That was a good sign. She looked as though he'd just shaken her from a reverie. She reached up and smoothed a hand through her hair, looking a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry to bother you like this, but my friend in there is convinced that you've been, and I quote, 'leering at me' ever since you walked in. He wanted to talk to you, but his talks tend to get a bit… violent if the conversation doesn't go his way. Either way, I decided to come out and have a word with you just to shut him up. Again, sorry to be a pain, I was just-"

"Do you ever wear bracelets?" Horvath asked, cutting her off. She looked a little alarmed by his question. He quickly followed it up, trying to make it sound convincing.

"Forgive me, but I've just noticed how lovely your eyes are. I have a bracelet that belonged to a friend of mine with stones exactly the same color. It would look very nice on you."

As the words left his mouth, he realized just how creepy he sounded and could hardly imagine what she must think of him. Either way, he had to try. He may not get another chance like this again.

He reached into an inside pocket of his jacket, careful not to reveal the set of small knives he kept with him at all times, and pulled out a small coil of metal. He held it up to the light and examined it, carefully controlling his expression to mimic that of sentimentality. He glanced back at the girl, whose attention was now on the bracelet. He smiled fondly, then pretended to polish the coil with his jacket sleeve.

"I've been carrying this around with me for quite some time," he said, recapturing her focus. "I don't really know why. I suppose I was just… waiting for the right opportunity…"

She looked puzzled, but didn't say anything. He looked at her carefully in the lamplight, then cleared his throat.

"I suppose I've had this for too long. It's unhealthy. Would you… I'm sorry, this is going to sound terribly odd, but would like to have this?"

She was clearly surprised, and a little suspicious, but that was expected. He'd have alarm bells going off in his head of a stranger offered him a piece of jewelry in the middle of the night outside of a bar. He tried to minimize the weird factor as best he could.

"I'm sorry, that did sound a bit strange. I'd just hate to sell it to some old antique shop and have them liquidate it or something. I'd certainly prefer if it ended up in the hands of a lovely young woman such as yourself. Would you at least try it on? If it fits, you can keep it."

"I- I couldn't. Look, you seem very nice, and I'm sorry to have come out and accosted you like this. My friend is waiting for me inside, I should really be getting back to him and-"

"Just try on the bloody bracelet."

Horvath was impatient. The shock was plain on her face, but at this point the really couldn't care less. It probably wouldn't fit, which meant that he'd have to go in search of the next young girl- and the next disappointment. At least if she tried it, though, he could be sure. He held out the coil to her and fixed her with a stare he knew usually made grown men tremble in their boots. It worked.

She reached out hesitantly and took the bracelet from him, letting it rest in the palm of her hand for a moment. This was the correct move. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the coil slithered to life, beginning to wind it's way down her hand and around her slender wrist. Horvath's dark eyes widened. She gasped and stared wide-eyed at the snake bracelet now fixed to her forearm. She slowly raised her astonished eyes to meet his. He smiled slightly at her.

"I believe that now belongs to you. Thank you very much. Goodbye, for now, Miss Callahan. I'll see you again soon."

He tipped his hat at her and vanished into the night, leaving her standing open-mouthed and confused.


	2. A New Apprentice

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I've spent three days working on this fan fiction, writing and rewriting it until I was exhausted. It may not be my best work, but I've decided to stray from the path and experiment with something other than Harry Potter. Reviews are welcome. Even bad ones.

* * *

Tegan Callahan lay on the couch watching a CSI rerun and trying to process the night's events. She examined the silver bracelet coiled stubbornly around her right wrist for the hundredth time.

It was a snake of some sort, that much was obvious. Each scale appeared to have been carved separately and stuck on one by one, creating a sleek and flawless body. The head was a different story. It was a magnificent piece of craftsmanship, detailed to an impossible degree. The mouth was open, the cheek muscles contracted, exposing an upper and lower set of tiny, razor-sharp fangs. She'd pricked her finger on them earlier, and wore the Band-Aid to prove it. Another amazing thing was the eyes. Two tiny grey stones stared coldly back at her as she twisted her wrist painfully to get a better look at them. That man was right; they did match her eyes exactly.

Her mind wandered away from the snake bracelet and back to the mysterious man from the bar. She felt a shiver run down her spine.

"_Goodbye, for now, Miss Callahan. I'll see you again soon."_

She shuddered. She'd never told him her name. And what did that mean, _'I'll see you again soon'_? Was he stalking her? Had he followed her home?

She shot up off the couch and mad sure the door was locked and bolted. It was, but that didn't ease her mind. The locks were so old they could probably be broken with a hard blow to the door. She suddenly wished she'd accepted Chris's offer to come over and spend the night at his place. She had declined out of courtesy to Ramon, his boyfriend. Ramon wasn't exactly fond of her, for reason's she had yet to figure out. She'd never said anything to Chris, who was oblivious about the whole thing. She also neglected to mention to him that the reason they hadn't seen each other in so long was because Ramon had told her to back off.

She shivered suddenly, getting the eerie feeling that she was being watched. She glanced over to the kitchen widow, which she knew was locked because she'd never opened it. The curtains over it were closed, not even a gap between them. She still couldn't shake the feeling.

She switched off the TV twenty minutes later, not feeling particularly safe at all. The episode had been a rerun of 'Stalker', which was very unhelpful. The man had lived in the ceiling and watched his victims through little peepholes. She automatically glanced at the ceiling, then remembered that she had an upstairs neighbor who happened to be an elderly Mexican lady, whom she highly doubted was spying on her through holes in the floor. She smirked at how foolish and paranoid she was.

'_Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me,_' she told herself in Lea's voice, an old friend from high-school. She went to bed feeling slightly comforted. She was asleep in seconds.

* * *

Horvath's patience had paid off. As soon as the light clicked off, he started off across the street towards the Wexley Apartment Complex.

It was almost boring how easy it was to sneak into the place. The night watchman was fast asleep on a chair in a little recess next to the doors. Horvath stared at him for a moment, then glanced around the lobby. His eyes alighted upon the mailboxes on the far wall next to the staircase. He walked over and examined them more closely.

_Callahan, Tegan E. Aprt. 713_

He glanced upwards at the winding staircase, then sighed and looked for an elevator. He didn't have time for this…

* * *

Tegan rolled over fitfully in her sleep. Her dreams were filled with mysterious shadows and faces, sliding and slithering all around her, whispering to her. She tossed and turned, trying to free herself from the wispy tendrils that were wrapping around her wrists and ankles, holding her in place.

* * *

The elevator dinged annoyingly as Horvath reached the 7th floor, the battered and graffitied door sliding jerkily open. He poked his head out and glanced up and down the hall, making sure it was deserted. On confirming that it was, he stepped out, the elevator doors sliding shut behind him. He glanced at the number on the door directly across from him. 707. The number to the right of it was 705, and to the left was 709. He took a left.

Her flat was at the end of the hall. The door was battered and scratched, the 3 hanging upside down by it's bottom pin. Horvath glanced cautiously around again, just to be safe, then rested the head of his walking stick against the doorknob. The tip glowed blue. He winced at the loud click, hoping it didn't wake her, then slowly turned the knob and let himself inside.

The flat was small and cramped and smelled of rotting pizza. He looked around the place, taking in the dirty fishbowl, the massive pile of dishes towering dangerously in the sink, and the boots and jacket she'd been wearing earlier laying sloppily near the door. He sniffed disdainfully. The place was a pigsty.

He looked suddenly towards the cracked door on his right, which could only be the bedroom. There was a slight rustling coming from in there, as though someone was shifting in bed. He realized that must where she was, and so stealthily made his way towards it. He stopped, wincing, as a floorboard creaked audibly as he stepped. He listened for any signs that she'd awaken. There were none. He continued on, being even more careful.

He slowly pushed the door open with his walking stick, peering suspiciously into the room. She was alone in the single bed, and he saw no signs that anyone else lived with her. The discarded clothes piled on the floor were all female. On the bedside table rested a lamp, a book entitled _The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo_, and a beat up old alarm clock. He finally turned his attention the girl, who appeared to be having a nightmare.

She was writhing slightly, tossing and turning every few minutes. Every once in a while she'd let out a strangled whimper, but she didn't seem able to wake up. Horvath watched her with only mild interest. The clock read 2:04 a.m. She would be asleep for a while yet.

He gently shut the door again and turned back to face the sitting room. He had entertained the possibility of waking her up, but in the end decided against it. He walked over to the thread-bare old blue couch and sat down, deigning to wait until morning. He picked up a magazine off the coffee table, the cover of which said _Seventeen_, and flipped it open. He raised an eyebrow at the contents.

It was going to be a very long night…

* * *

Tegan awoke to the smell of coffee wafting throughout her 4 room apartment. She sat up in bed and swung her legs over the edge, rubbing at her sleep filled eyes. She yawned, then reached up to scratch at her head. Her hand slowed, then stopped.

She didn't own a coffee pot.

A cold shiver went up her spine. It could easily be one of the downstairs neighbors making coffee near the window, but all her windows were closed. There was no reason for the smell to be so strong.

Someone was in her apartment.

She threw back the sheet and stood up, trying to be as stealthy as possible as she tugged on a pair of old jeans and straightened her faded grey tank top. She caught sight of her wrist in the process, and the cold band of metal that was wrapped securely around it. Thoughts of last night flooded her mind, feeling her with fear. She had a very strong fight or flight instinct, which was usually tuned in to flight. But where would she run to?

She thought for a moment, then walked back over to her dresser and tugged the bottom drawer open as quietly as possible. She rummaged around through her socks until she found the small black case that she was looking for. Her Taser. She had never loved her over-protective mother more in her life.

She checked to make sure it was charged, then glanced over at her bedroom door. It was shut tight. She never slept with her door shut. A cold feeling settled in her gut. He'd been in her room. He'd watched her sleep.

She knew it wasn't Chris or any of her other friends. They would've have woken her up as soon as they got there. They certainly wouldn't have made coffee. There was a stranger in her apartment and she didn't like it. She didn't like it one bit. The fear began to be replaced by anger. She stood up and approached the door, screwed her courage to the sticking place, then twisting the handle sharply and throwing the door open. She leapt out into the main room, Taser at the ready. She almost fell back in surprise.

Her apartment was clean.

She took a cautious step forward, looking around suspiciously. There was no one in sight, but someone had obviously been there. The trash was all gone. The dishes were sparkly and put neatly away in the cupboards. A brand new coffee maker sat on the counter, the sound of percolating coffee the only noise besides her panicked breathing. Her jacket was hung neatly on a hook she had never seen before and her boots rested side by side under it. The papers and magazines that had been laying randomly about the floor where now sorted into neat piles on the coffee table. The TV, DVD, and VHS remotes all sat side by side, in order from smallest to largest. She saw that the fishbowl had been cleaned, and Frodo the goldfish was swimming around happily, occasionally darting up to the surface to nibble on fresh Fish Flakes. Tegan peered cautiously into the bathroom. The porcelain was practically shining. The towels were either folded or hung over the towel rack. Her soap and shampoo bottles were all aligned neatly on the edge of the tub. She noticed a mysterious laundry hamper sitting in the middle of the floor, in which sat piled about a months worth of laundry. She blushed, seeing her favorite pair of bright pink panties sitting at the very top. She took a firmer grip on her Taser and moved farther into the apartment. She let out a startled yelp at the sight of a man sitting at her kitchen table, reading what appeared to be an old _Seventeen_ magazine. He glanced up at her with a raised eyebrow and she recognized him as the man from the bar last night. She pointed the Taser threateningly at him.

"I don't know who the fuck you are or what you're doing in my apartment, but you need to get the fuck out! Right now!"

She realized her voice as shaking pathetically, and that she must look like an absolute fool, holding the Taser the way she was. He evidently thought so too, because all he did was take a sip of coffee from one of her favorite mugs, watching her with an amused expression.

"Do you even know how to use that thing?" he asked derisively. She bit the inside of her lip and readjusted her stance. In truth, no, she had absolutely no clue how to handle it. She knew she had to press a button and stuff, but she didn't know where said button was located on the little black device. He took her silence to mean 'no' and rolled his eyes. He turned back to the magazine.

"You're holding it the wrong way," he told her. "If you shoot, you'll only electrocute yourself. Wouldn't that be embarrassing."

It wasn't a question. It was simply a testament to her stupidity. She glanced quickly at the Taser, realized he was right, then hastily flipped it around. He was smirking, not looking at her. He flipped a page in the magazine.

"Why on earth do you read this? All it is are little articles about girls worried their boyfriends are cheating, or telling you how to get a boyfriend, or how to do your makeup to impress your boyfriend. Have you ever considered that trash like this is why you're still single?"

"And I'm sure you just have women throwing themselves at you in the street," she said sarcastically, sounding braver than she felt. He glared at her, then closed the magazine and stood up. She was instantly on the alert, keeping the Taser trained on him. The look he gave her implied he thought she was an idiotic little girl who had no idea who she was messing with. She figured this was true, but she had to try.

"Look, if you just leave I promise not to call the cops, but if you don't I'll have to Taser you and tell them-"

"Tell them what? That a man broke in and cleaned your apartment? Oh yes, I'm sure they'd just be rushing down here. Sit down, we need to have a talk."

He gestured for her to take a seat on the sofa, but she stubbornly refused. He sighed and raised his walking stick. For a moment she thought he was going to hit her with it, but he just flicked it backwards. To her great surprise, the Taser was yanked from her hand and into his. He flicked the cane again, forward this time, and she felt an invisible force pressing on her chest, pushing her backwards onto the couch. She fell back roughly and stared up at him in amazement. He regarded her with the interest one gives to a second grader's science fair project.

"My name," he began, "is Maxim Horvath. I am a Morganian sorcerer of the 779th degree. You," he pointed at her dramatically with his walking stick, "are the Prime Morganian. I have been searching the globe for you for nearly 4 years now. You are a sorceress of immeasurable importance. It is my job to train you, and from this moment onward, I hereby claim you as my apprentice."

Tegan wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she thought the room darkened a little. She looked at the glowing blue head of the cane aimed in her face, then raised a finger and gently moved it to the side. She stared at the crazy man in her living room for an unnecessarily long time, then burst out laughing.

* * *

The laughter went on for a good five minutes, during which Horvath stood perfectly still. He hadn't been expecting this. He'd been expecting her to call him crazy, a liar, or some sort of obscenity. He'd expected her to shout at him, or deny it, or tell him to leave before she called the police. At the very least, in the best possible scenario, he had expected her to simply accept it, or announce that she always knew she was special or destined for greater things in life, or- or _something._ He didn't expect to be laughed at. And he certainly didn't like it. The head of his cane glowed dangerously. The girl didn't take any notice.

After she'd eventually calmed down and wiped her eyes, she looked at him with one of the goofiest expressions he had ever seen in his life. If not for that bracelet on her arm, he never would suspect this girl of being the Prime Morganian. It was a sad day for dark sorcerers everywhere.

"Do you see that bracelet?" he said, jabbing at the thing with his cane. The girl examined her arm, twisting it this way and that. She looked back up at him and nodded, looking amused. He sighed.

"That bracelet belonged to the greatest sorceress of all time, Morgana Le Fay, who has since been destroyed by the Prime Merlinian. Your job," he pointed at her again. Her eyes crossed as she stared down the length of the walking stick. "Is to resurrect her and rule by her side over all of mankind. Now I suggest that you stop laughing and take this seriously before you get yourself hurt!"

Her eyes widened as the cane tip glowed, the smile finally sliding off her face. She looked up at him with wide, confused eyes.

"Wait, I don't understand any of this- Why me? Are you serious or did Chris put you up to this? Look, I don't want-"

"What you do or don't want is of no consequence," Horvath said, cutting her off mid-ramble. "This isn't about you. This is about the fate of mankind. The dismal, horrendous, practically nonexistent and thoroughly unpleasant fate of mankind, most of which will cease to be alive. Do you understand me so far or shall I go slower?"

The confusion in her eyes had turned to distrust. He had to resist the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. He decided to change his approach, because the shock tactic obviously wasn't working. He lowered his walking stick and looked at her.

"I realize this must all come as a terrible shock to you, but I'm only telling you the truth. I've been looking for you for a very long time now, and now that I've finally found you, well… I confess, I'm a little disappointed. I expected someone a little more…"

"Evil?" she said helpfully. Horvath started to glower at her, then realized that this was probably a very apt description of what he'd been expecting. Certainly not this scrawny, giggly, spastic little girl. He supposed that beggars can't be choosers. He'd been searching for the Prime Morganian and he'd found her, in quite a bit less time than it took Balthazar to find the Prime Merlinian. He supposed that was one small triumph.

"Well, what if you made a mistake?" she said, breaking the silence. He looked at her, willing her to go. She did so.

"I mean, how do you_ know_ I'm the- the Prime- what am I again?"

"The Prime Morganian."

"Right. That. How do you know it's me? I'm mean, c'mon, there are _billions_ of people in the world. How could you be absolutely sure that I'm _the one_?"

"Because _I_ didn't choose you," he said. She raised an eyebrow, so he continued. "It's a very long and complicated story, but the point is that it's the bracelet's choice. It reacts to blood and genetic traces, no matter how minute, of Morgana. Apparently you two are distant relatives. I expect she'll be overjoyed," he added sarcastically. Tegan gave him a look that could peel paint, but he paid it no heed.

"So," she said after a moment, "just so we're straight, you want me to turn my whole life upside down and sideways to leave and join you as an 'apprentice', with the eventual goal of raising the chick who murdered Merlin from the dead and destroying the world as we know it?"

Horvath considered for a moment, then nodded. She pursed her lips.

"Yeah, see, I'm not exactly down with that, if you know what I mean. Generally I like the world, even if some of the people in it are assholes. So, no, I don't think I'll help you. You seem like a very nice man, if a bit fanatic and deranged, but this just isn't my thing. If you'll excuse me-"

"I think you misunderstand me, Miss Callahan," Horvath broke in, startling her. "I wasn't _asking_ you to help me, I was _telling_ you that you will no matter what. I do not care if it isn't your _thing_. Besides, I don't think you're taking the positive aspect of this into account."

"Please, I find it hard to believe there's anything positive about destroying the world."

"Ah, another misunderstanding. You'll not be destroying the world. You'll be ruling it. My job," he said, taking a step closer to her so he was only a foot or so away, "is to train you to become one of the most powerful sorcerers who ever lived. I can teach you things, marvelous things. I can help you hone your natural skills, train you in the art and science of manipulating the world around you with barely a flick of your finger. I can grant you access to the wealth of power and knowledge just waiting at your fingertips. With your powers and my guidance…" he paused for affect, leaning closer. He was pleased to see her eyes sparkle with curiosity and wonder. "…We can remake the world."

He could tell he almost had her hooked. She thirsted for power and knowledge. That was a very good sign. All she needed was one final push…

"Besides, you can just imagine the opportunities that would open up to you in life if you chose to accept my offer."

She looked at him sharply.

"I thought you said I didn't have a choice," she said suspiciously. He thought to himself for a moment.

"Well, technically you don't, but it will all be so much easier if you just cooperate."

She tilted her head to the side and regarded him coolly. All traces of fear and panic were gone from her face, to be replaced with an expression of sly cunning. He could see the sparkle of immense intelligence behind those cold grey eyes. Her gaze gave him the unnerving feeling of being x-rayed.

"So you're Maxim Horvath…" she said absently, more to herself than him. "I've read about you. About what you did… and why."

Silver eyes met charcoal as the two stared at each other. He didn't say anything, waiting for her to continue. She obviously knew more than she'd let on to begin with. She cleared her throat.

"I read a lot as a child. Fantasy, mostly. I used to wish that it was all real, that someday someone would write a book about me and all of my magical accomplishments. I'd given up on those dreams quite a while ago. Yet here you stand, now, at all times of my life, telling me that it actually _is_ real, and that I _am_ part of it. I just-"

She shook her head and looked away from him. She sighed heavily and was silent for a long moment.

"Fine."

Horvath's ears pricked up.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said fine!" she half shouted. She looked up at him, then away again. She regained her self control. "I'll help you with your quest or whatever it is, but not for Morgana. And certainly not for you."

She looked up at him again, and this time held his gaze. There was a fire in her eyes that he'd never noticed before, a determination of sorts. He suppressed a shudder. That was the same look in Morgana's eyes the same night she killed Merlin. Something he would never forget…

"If you teach me everything you know, and I mean _everything_, not just the basics or the fundamentals, then I'll help resurrect Morgana. But I don't expect anything from her. I don't want to rule the world. If we bring her back, all I want is to be left in peace with the knowledge you've given me, understand? So don't worry about having to kill me when this is all over, because it'll just be unnecessary and ungrateful. I don't want power, I want knowledge, got it?"

Horvath nodded his ascent. She had clearly thought ahead. He admired this. She had great potential. He thought over what she had said, realizing it was probably better than the original deal he offered and didn't leave any loose ends.

"Got it."


	3. Training

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I've been writing literally all day. My hands and wrist are starting to cramp up, but I can't stop. After months of writer's block, it feels so good to have the creative juices flowing again. Please let me know what you think and if I should continue.

* * *

When Horvath asked Tegan if she had some place private where they could work and train undisturbed, the first and only thing that came to mind was her art studio.

'Studio' may have been a bit of an overstatement. In fact, it was nothing more than an old abandoned warehouse she had broken into and rehabilitated in to someplace she could paint in peace. When she found it, the place had been in ruins. Holes in the roof, rats in the lofts, something that looked suspiciously like a bloodstain on the floor… It was a mess. With Chris's help, and a few other friends, she'd managed to clean it up and make it usable again. She'd bought it from the company that used to use it for only $5,000. The result was her having to drop out of college because of financial ruin. She gained a workspace, but lost the training necessary to improve her skills there. But now it could be put to good use.

Tegan looked at Horvath, who was staring skeptically up at the old warehouse. He noticed she was looking at him, but showed no acknowledgement of it. She sighed and walked forward, kicking an empty beer bottle out of her way as she strode towards the old building. Horvath followed, grimacing at the muck that was getting on his shoes. He supposed it was lucky that she'd have a place like this tucked away and at her disposal. It made things quite a bit easier. He just wished it was a bit more… sanitary.

Upon reaching the door, Tegan pulled out a small key from somewhere in her handbag, shoved it roughly into the padlock and twisted. There was a loud click, then the loop popped open. She unhooked it and dropped it into her bag, grabbing the door handle and twisting violently. She slammed her shoulder against the door, giving it the extra jolt that it needed to open. She stepped into the black abyss and gestured for Horvath to follow. He did so cautiously.

He heard a loud click from somewhere to his left, then was blinded by the horrendously bright light coming from all directions. After his eyes had finally adjusted, he looked around his surroundings and felt his eyes widen.

The place was a masterpiece in and of itself.

In the very centre of the room there stood a platform about 4 feet high, obviously meant for someone to stand on and pose for a drawing or painting. The floor was splattered with paint, but it was long dry and posed no threat to his already damaged shoes. The walls were lined with magnificent drawings and paintings of geometric figures, archaic symbols, and deformed and distorted bodies. He spun slowly, taking in everything. A beautiful old Grand Piano sat tucked away in a corner, covered with a large water-repellant cloth. Art supplies littered every inch of the place, from racks screwed into the walls, to desks and tables placed seemingly at random around the perimeter. Blank and half-painted canvases were stacked in a messy pile next to a massive, industrial sized blue dumpster. The largest painting sat on the far wall, dead-center, and clearly set the tone for the place. He realized he'd seriously misjudged the girl and her personality. He'd pegged her for a bright and bubbly teenager, more concerned with appearances than content, but he now realized he'd been horribly mistaken.

The painting was of a man, bound and gagged on his knees, blood running from the multiple gashes and carvings on his upper torso and stomach. He was looking upwards, the muscles in his neck straining under his taut skin, a thin and low-hanging cloth his only form of modesty. His wrists were restrained to the floor by thin chains which had cut deep into his forearms. The detail was impeccable, the painting itself was disturbing. Tegan saw him looking at it and watched his reaction, her head tilted to the side. His facial expressions went from shock, to awe, then to something that looked like confusion. She bit her lip, getting the sudden urge to draw him. He had a wonderfully expressive face.

It wasn't until he looked at her, alarmed, that she realized she said these thoughts out loud.

"Sorry, I was just watching your reaction… You must be a terrible liar. Everything is just written all over your face like a book. How on earth did you manage to pull it off?"

"Pull what off, exactly?"

"Betraying Merlin," she said simply. He felt a tic in his jaw, but showed no other outward reaction. She must have noticed, however, because she was watching him with fascination. "I wonder how he missed it…" she said absently, her cold eyes flicking this way and that, taking in every detail of his face. He stared at her, feeling increasingly uncomfortable as the seconds ticked past. Finally, unable to stand it anymore, he cleared his throat.

"Shall we get started, then?"

She nodded and gestured for him to lead the way. He narrowed his eyes at her, then cautiously stepped forward and walked onto the platform. He looked around the room from where he stood, appreciating the view, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the miniaturized Encantis he'd been carrying around for three years. He looked at it for a moment, then began to unfold it. Tegan watched him with only minor interest until she realized what he was doing. A grin spread across her face as the Encantis got larger and larger, eventually expanding to it's full proportions. Horvath held it out for her to take, which she did. She staggered under the weight of the thing.

"Damn…" she muttered to herself. If Horvath heard, he showed no signs of it. He looked around him once more, nodded slightly, then shooed her away. Tegan raised a skeptic eyebrow at him, but moved back farther and farther until he raised his hand for her to stop. She was about 15 feet away from where he stood in the center of the platform. They met eyes for a moment.

Horvath slammed the tip of his cane down in the center of the platform, and blue fire erupted out in all directions. Tegan nearly dropped her Encantis. She watched, entranced, as Horvath moved his hands over sections of the floor, more blue fire carving ancient symbols into the ground as thought it were wet cement. He turned slowly, fanning out his hands and twisting them back and forth. When he finally turned to face her again, she saw the firelight reflected in his black eyes, and understood why he had been so feared in battle. When the Morganian Pentacle was completed he looked back to her and beckoned her forward. She bent and set the Encantis down on the ground before slowly approaching.

"I want to make something very clear to you, Miss Callahan," Horvath said when she was about a foot away from the outer edge of the pentacle. She stopped and looked at him. "Once you cross that line, no matter what happens, there is no going back. As soon as you step across into the pentacle, the old you will cease to exist, replaced by a better, more powerful you. There are risks. There are dangers. You face the threat of death. You can never live a 'normal' human life or indulge in whatever strikes your fancy at the time. When you cross that line, you become my Apprentice, and I become your Master. Is that clear?"

Tegan regarded him for a moment, her head tilted slightly back. She knew what the risks were, and she knew that everything was going to change. For better or for worse was still yet to be seen, but at least it'd break the monotony. She took a deep breath, steeled herself, then stepped across the border into the closest point of the pentacle. Flames roared up around her, closing off any escape. She looked at Horvath, who hadn't taken his eyes off her, and stepped forward again, not caring that she was stepping through fire without burning herself. She knew that she wouldn't be harmed inside the pentacle. She reached the final layer, where Horvath stood, and looked down at it. The light was reflecting off his shoes, and she swore she could see herself in them. She smirked to herself, then stepped suddenly forward, coming to stand only a few inches away from Horvath. She looked up slowly, her eyes locking onto his and staring back defiantly. He simply inclined his head slightly at her, and began to speak the ancient words that would seal the bond between Apprentice and Master.

* * *

Horvath was impressed.

In a small matter of only four hours, Tegan had managed to master the plasma bolt, the vacuum ball, and remote combustion, all with very minor damage to herself or surroundings. The girl was a natural. Horvath took this as a very good sign. He hadn't seen such raw talent in a very long time, and he had to admit it was refreshing.

The look of determination in her eyes as she tried to master a spell was almost ferocious. And when she finally mastered it, she'd always turn to look at him with this look of almost manic glee plastered on her face. Her excitement was almost palpable in the air. He was certain he'd made the right choice.

"Alright, that's enough for one day," Horvath said after a while. He almost laughed at the look of bitter disappointment on her face, and was tempted to say he was just joking and that she should carry on. But he could tell she was tired. They'd been at it since 11:30, and neither of them had eaten.

"Can we do more later?" she asked, staring at him hopefully with wide eyes. He considered for a moment.

"No. I don't want you to tire yourself out in one go. We'll get some food, go home and rest. We'll work on ice jets tomorrow."

"Ice jets?"

"Oh good, you were paying attention," he said, closing the Encantis with a snap. She gave him a snotty look, hopping down off the platform and flipping her hair back. He looked at her for a moment. She stared back, then blinked.

"What? Do I have soot on my face or something?"

"No, there's nothing on your face, I was just thinking about something."

She looked at him expectantly. He looked at her a moment longer, then turned and strode off towards the door. She stared after him for a moment, then hurried to catch up. He grabbed the doorknob and twisted, but nothing happened. The door was apparently sealed. He raised his walking stick, prepared to blast it open, when Tegan grabbed his arm and glared at him.

"This door doesn't like people. If you blast it, I'll never get it set right again. You have to know how to handle it. Observe."

Horvath raised an eyebrow indignantly as she pushed past him, grabbing the doorknob with both hands. She braced her foot against the doorjamb and took a deep breath. Suddenly she twisted the knob and kicked off from the doorjamb, letting out a strained little yelp. The door jerked open, grating against the doorjamb a little and scraping off some of the paint. Tegan paid it not attention, simply standing back and gesturing for Horvath to exit before her. He could tell she was trying to restrain the triumphant smirk from forming, but it wasn't working very well. Horvath looked at her for a long moment, then walked past out into the evening air. She flipped off the lights, then stepped out, slamming the door violently behind her. She replaced the padlock and snapped it shut with a loud click.

"You really ought to get that fixed," Horvath said, jerking his head in the direction of the door. She shook her head and smiled.

"Nah. That'd be too easy."

She started walking away and he followed. They'd made it about 5 feet when a blindingly bright light flooded the space in front of them.

"Alright, you two. Hands up."

Out of the light stepped two policemen, hands placed on their holstered guns in half-hearted caution. The older of the two stopped a few feet away from them, tilting his head a little bit to regard them. The two stared back at him, hands still by their sides. Horvath clutched his walking stick tighter, but didn't exactly feel threatened. He cleared his throat.

"Can I help you, officers?"

The two cops glanced at each other.

"Would you two mind telling me what you were doing in that warehouse?" Old Cop asked. Horvath was about to reply that it was none of their concern, but Tegan broke in before he could stop her.

"Not having sex, if that's what you mean. I'm not a whore."

Horvath looked at her, astonished, and was surprised by the look of anger and distrust on her face. She clearly had very strong issues with law enforcement and authority figures. The cops glanced at each other again, obviously not believing her. Horvath realized the opportunity standing before them was too good to pass up. He inclined his head slightly towards Tegan. She tilted her head as well, her eyes not leaving the two officers.

"I believe this would be a very good time to put your newly acquired skill to the test," he told her quietly. She looked at him sharply, and he gently tipped his head towards the two officers, who were now staring at him suspiciously. Tegan's eyes widened, catching on. The grin that spread across her face was positively feral.

"Hey, no talking. Now c'mon, let's work this thing out nice and -"

"Now!" Horvath shouted. Tegan swirled into action, plasma erupting from both hands and shooting out at the cops. They flew backwards, Old Cop slamming into the door of the patrol car and Young Cop flipping over the hood. She didn't stop there, though. Plasma was replaced with flame. Old Cop managed to duck just in time as a fire ball flew into the car where his face had been a few moments ago. The car's interior caught fire in seconds. Tegan was gearing up for another attack when Horvath grabbed her wrist, distracting her. The flames died in her palms.

"I think that will do for now. Very impressive. However, I think we ought to be going now."

He took a firmer grip on her arm and dragged her off towards the shadows. The cops didn't follow. Nor did they report it.

* * *

A little over 2,000 miles away in the middle of New York city, a phone was ringing.

Balthazar Blake sat up in bed, clutching his head and trying to figure out what that god-awful high pitched ringing sound was. Then he remembered where he was.

Leaving Veronica fast asleep, he staggered out of bed and into the hall where the telephone was located. He squinted at the glowing caller ID, then reluctantly picked up the receiver.

"Are you aware of what time it is, Dave?"

"Balthazar! Thank you for finally picking up!" was the excited reply. Balthazar closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his forehead against the cool wall.

"I was asleep, Dave. This had better be important."

"Have you… looked at your Encantis lately? Particularly the 'Recent History' section?"

"No."

"…I think you might want to do that. Maybe, like, right now."

Balthazar started to wake up a little bit. If Dave was calling him in the middle of the night, which he should know by now not to do, then something of importance must have occurred. He waved a hand lazily behind him, catching the Encantis seconds before it rammed into him. He sighed, set the ever-growing book on the table next to the phone, and began to flip through it. When he found it, he knew immediately that it was what caught Dave's attention.

"Oh no."

"So you're seeing it too?"

"Yes, Dave, I see it. This is bad. This is very bad. Thank you for calling me. We'll be over in a few minutes."

"What? No, Balthazar, don't come-"

Balthazar set the phone down with a click, then went to wake Veronica up. She wasn't going to like this…


	4. Settling In

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: My writer's block is starting to come back, but I won't let it! I have to keep writing! This story is just too good! ….At least, it is in my opinion. But I'm the one writing it, so I suppose it doesn't matter what I think, it's what _you_ think, the readers. Please review and tell me if I should just save myself the effort and stop writing, or if you think it's good enough to continue. I'd be much obliged.

* * *

Horvath stared into the empty fridge with disdain. A large block of blue mold stared back at him, nested between the salsa and milk. He didn't even want to know what it used to be.

He looked back at Tegan, who was currently upside down on the couch, her long legs draped over the back of it and her hair flowing down onto the floor. She was making a face, so he could only guess that she couldn't find the show she was looking for on that little box. He sighed to himself, shut the fridge, and walked over to stand next to the couch and look down at her. She ignored him.

"Am I to understand that you have absolutely no food whatsoever in this dismal little hole you call an apartment?"

She turned her head to look at him, her expression blank. They had a mini staring contest lasting all of thirty seconds before Horvath sighed and looked away. He walked around the sofa to the hook he'd installed by the door, picking up his jacket and shrugging it on. Tegan sat up and looked at him between her feet over the sofa back.

"Where're you going?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows. He glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow at her current position. He grabbed his hat and placed it neatly atop his head.

"I'm going shopping. You have no food, no beverages, and no cleaning supplies. Your living conditions are abysmal. We're going to be here for quite some time, so I want to be prepared. Those police officers may have put an APB out on us, so-"

"Wait, just- hang on a sec. We? What do you mean 'we'? You're not thinking of staying_ here_, are you?"

"Well, yes. Where else would you expect me to stay?"

"Um, somewhere that isn't here," Tegan said, struggling to right herself on the sofa. She managed to stagger to her feet and glared at Horvath, hands on her hips.

"This is _my_ house. _I_ live here. No offense intended, I'll work with you an everything, but there's no way in hell I'm going to _live_ with you."

"And why ever not?" Horvath asked, turning to face her fully. He was genuinely curious as to the disdain she held for him, though he couldn't exactly say it was unfounded. She thought about it for a moment.

"Well, for one thing I only have one bed. You don't exactly seem like a couch sleeper to me, and I'm certainly not going to vacate _my_ bed to accommodate you. Also, I don't _know_ you like that. We're not best friends, your definitely not my boyfriend," here she shuddered slightly, much to Horvath's annoyance. She continued. "I only have one bathroom, and I'm guessing that you take your grooming and appearance way too seriously. I like long showers and tend to use up all the hot water on the floor. Plus, I think my neighbors would notice if I suddenly had an older British gentleman who possesses a pimp-cane"-she gestured roughly at Horvath's walking stick- "staying with me. They already talk about me enough as it is, the last thing I need is more rumor-fodder. Anyways, those are my reasons for thinking you really, really need to find somewhere else to stay."

Horvath stared at her, and she stared back, hands still firmly on her hips. He nodded slightly to himself.

"I see your point… but it's not your decision to make. Go change into something presentable. We're going shopping."

She looked hastily down at her outfit- faded grey skinny jeans, rainbow socks, and an Aerosmith tee -then glared back up at him.

"My outfit _is_ presentable, thank you very much. Jeez, we're just going to Wal-Mart, lighten up."

"No," he said, suddenly serious. He pointed his walking stick at her, his eyes darkening. Tegan took a step back, alarmed. "We are not going to Wal-Mart. Never again will I set foot into one of the godforsaken pits. We are going to Fred Meyers for food, then to Target for anything else we might need, but we are not. Going. To. Wal-Mart. Understand?"

Tegan did her very best not to laugh at the deadly serious expression on his face, but it was hard.

"What on earth happened to you in there?" she asked, a goofy grin threatening to overtake her face. Horvath glared at her a moment, then looked away and straightened his hat.

"I don't want to talk about it. Now come on, we've wasted enough time already."

* * *

Grocery shopping with Maxim Horvath was an experience that Tegan sincerely hoped she'd never have to repeat ever again as long as she lived.

Not only did he obsess over the price of every little thing, he was also rude to the cashiers, made Tegan get everything on his six-inch shopping list, made her push the cart, and was a full-time back-seat cart-pusher. Then he tried to haggle the price down. It didn't work, and they were almost escorted from the store.

When the experience was over, they ended up going back to the apartment with three bags of groceries, enough Mr. Clean to scrub the entire outside of the building itself, an air mattress, four new sets of sheets and bed covers, and an entirely new, more 'appropriate' wardrobe for Tegan that Horvath had picked out and made her try on. They'd been gone for 5 hours. It was almost 10:00 before they finally got back to the tiny flat, after having to lug everything up 7 flights of stairs because the elevator was broken. Tegan had to make three trips because Horvath refused to help. He claimed that it built character.

'_I'll build my characterized foot right up your limey ass,'_ Tegan thought to herself as she unpacked groceries and organized them in the refrigerator. She heard a strange whooshing sound, and turned to find Horvath inflating the air mattress with his walking stick on the living room floor. She rolled her eyes and crammed the cabbage farther back.

"Ah! Be careful with that," Horvath said from the living room.

* * *

"Does it say where it happened?" Veronica asked, peering over Balthazar's shoulder at the new page in the Encantis. It was a painting of a young red-haired girl shooting plasma and fire from her palms at two cowering police officers. Horvath stood behind her in the shadows, a devious smirk on his bearded face. The caption vaguely read _'Prime Morganian unleashing newfound powers on interference. Master watches approvingly in the background.'_

Balthazar and Dave scanned the page for a location, but none was listed. Balthazar cursed under his breath and slammed the Encantis with a dull thud. Dave yelped, having caught his little finger between the pages. No one paid him any attention, so he just sat back quietly.

"So…" he said after a long and slightly awkward silence. "What are we going to do?"

Balthazar and Veronica looked at him blankly. He continued_._

"Well, if I understand this correctly, Horvath is alive and has a new apprentice, who is the 'Prime Morganian', which I'm gonna take a guess and say is the evil version of me, right? Okay, so, how- what are we going to do about it?"

Balthazar and Veronica glanced at each other and Dave got the feeling there was more to this than they were telling him. He looked back down the hall towards the room where Becky was sleeping, hoping she wouldn't wake up and come out wanting to help. Balthazar cleared his throat, and Dave turned back to him. He opened the Encantis back up.

"You were right about the Prime Morganian being an evil version of you. See that bracelet on her wrist?" he said, pointing to the thin metal coil wrapped around the girl's painted forearm. Dave nodded. "That bracelet belonged to Morgana. The fact that she's wearing it is very ominous. It means that she's a distant relative of Morgana's, that Morgana's blood is running in her veins. From the technique she's using and the power she has, I'm guessing Horvath's been training her for a while now. I wonder why this hasn't showed up earlier…'

He ran a hand over the paintings surface, his index finger coming to rest next to the girl's face. He tapped it and looked up.

"The first step will be to find her. Wherever she is, I'll guarantee that Horvath is nearby. I know him well enough to say that he wouldn't leave apprentice unprotected, even if he thought they could take of themselves. He's always been paranoid like that. Even before-"

Balthazar cut himself off. An awkward silence ensued. Veronica looked at her feet. Dave decided the silence was just a little too thick.

"Okay, so, once we find her what do we do? I mean, she doesn't look that evil. Maybe if we can get Horvath away from her-"

"It's not that simple," Veronica said, speaking for the first time since she and Balthazar arrived at Dave and Becky's apartment. "She already wears the bracelet. Horvath has probably explained to her what it means and who she is, so we have no chance of stopping him from poisoning her mind. She looks advanced in combat spells, meaning they've been training together for some time. She probably feels some attachment to him as her Master. It will be hard to get her to leave him willingly. It looks like the only option is to destroy one of them."

"Preferably Horvath," Balthazar said. "He won't stop until Morgana's resurrected and restored to power. The girl is an innocent, at the farthest stretch of the word. She may not know who Morgana truly is and what she intends to do. Horvath's probably only told her half of the truth. Maybe we can-"

"Wait, don't you still have the Grimhold?" Dave interrupted. Balthazar snapped his fingers and smiled at him.

"That's right! That also makes things considerably easier. If we can just get Horvath in the Grimhold and get that bracelet away from her before she doesn't need it anymore, then we should be fine. If worse comes to worst, we'll lock them both inside. How does that sound to everybody?"

Dave and Veronica nodded in agreement. They all stared at the picture of the unknown young girl with fire in her eyes who was the Prime Morganian.

* * *

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me perfectly clear."

"Are you sure? 'Cause it sounded like you just said that _I_ was going to be sleeping on the air mattress in the living room while _you_ slept in _my_ bed. Did I hear you correctly?"

Horvath turned to look at his outraged apprentice, who was now giving a look crossed between incredulity and carefully controlled anger. He could understand why she might be upset, but she couldn't have honestly expected him to sleep on the thing. If she had, he may have to reevaluate her intelligence. He voiced these thoughts, and was met with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow. He realized that she was giving him that 'Oh Really?' look that only women can pull off. He expected her to begin yelling at him, and was surprised when she simply stormed off into her room, slamming the door behind her.

She emerged a few moments later carrying three pillows, a blanket, and a book, which she dropped on the newly inflated air mattress. She had changed her clothes, and was now only wearing an old yellow tank top and a pair of black panties. Horvath looked away. She glared at him.

"I've gotten everything I need out of there. Goodnight."

She spread the blanket over the mattress and arranged the pillows, then lay down and scooted so that her back was propped against the wall. She opened her book and held it so that Horvath was blocked from her view. He stood where he was, a little alarmed by her stony and silent attitude. He bent and rummaged through one of the new Target bags, pulling out a new set of sheets and making his way across the room towards the bedroom. He stopped in the doorway and turned back to Tegan. He cleared his throat.

"May I have a pillow?"

He ducked, the pillow she'd just hurled at him striking the wall behind him with unnecessary force. He straightened up and glared furiously at her. Her face was still hidden by that blasted book, but he was sure she was smirking. He glared at her a moment longer, then picked up the pillow and retreated into the bedroom, shutting the door forcefully behind him. He sealed it shut with magic, just to be safe. He turned around and looked at the small room.

She had stripped the sheets off the bed and left them in a pile on the floor, and he was almost positive she'd done it to annoy him. The pillows, except for the one in his hand, were out there with her. The bed was tiny and lumpy looking and would probably give him back problems. However, it was much better than that tiny, floppy air mattress that smelled like rubber.

He quickly changed into the new pajamas he'd bought today and put on the new sheets, then climbed into bed, feeling only a little awkward. He turned off the light and was asleep within minutes.


	5. Revelations and Confrontations

Title:

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and violence.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I would just like to say that as I'm writing a story, the scene is playing out in my head like a TV show. If some chapters seem pointless to the plot, they're probably just fillers so I can get to the more interesting stuff without seeming like I'm rushing the story. I'm sorry if it's slow, I prefer to think of it as setting the tone and building suspense. Enjoy!

* * *

"Again."

Tegan mustered all her strength and energy, focusing hard. She felt cold forming in the palm of her hands, building and building into a solid form, taking on matter and mass. She could feel it, she knew exactly what she had to do.

Then she lost it.

"Again!" barked Horvath, who was standing a few feet from her inside the circle, walking stick in one hand, Encantis in the other. Tegan glared sharply at him, and he glared right back. She decided to try changing tactics. She resumed the correct stance, but instead of focusing her energy on forming an ice crystal in the palm of her hand, as she had been doing previously, she instead focused on how much she hated Horvath at the moment. She immediately felt her hands change temperature. She smirked, then closed her eyes, remembering all the little annoying things he'd done to her over the past week, all the times when he'd say something just to piss her off, every excruciating moment she'd had to spend sleeping on that godawful air mattress. The cold expanded, becoming solid and hard. She remembered this morning, when he'd woken her up at 6:30 by poking her in the head with his walking stick. She felt the energy build.

Her eyes snapped open. Her fingers contracted and she pushed her palms out sharply. The little grey stones on her bracelet glowed blindingly. The jagged sphere of ice she'd been holding shot forward, smashing forcefully into the invisible shield Horvath had placed around himself, sending ripples all throughout it. Tegan's arms fell by her side, her head hanging, exhausted.

She looked up sharply, hearing a sharp smacking sound. Her eyes widened when she realized that Horvath was clapping at her, a triumphant smirk on his face. She glared at him suspiciously, not sure of whether or not he was mocking her. He waved his cane, removing the shield from around himself and stepping towards her. He stopped about a foot from where she stood, smiling down at her.

"Very well done, Miss Callahan. I'm impressed. It takes at least three weeks for the average apprentice to reach the level of forming full-fledged ice spheres, and yet you've managed to do it in just under five days. Very impressive. Then again, I suppose you're not exactly the average apprentice, are you? Tell me, what were you thinking about?"

He inclined his head at her, his impossibly dark eyes fixed on her shimmering grey ones. She took a deep breath, still able to feel the energy coursing through her limbs.

"How much I hate you today," she said with as much contempt as she could muster. Much to her surprise, instead of getting angry, he laughed at her.

"Hatred can be a very powerful weapon, I'll admit. But if you're not careful it can make you sloppy. Never let your emotions get the best of you in battle, otherwise you'll loose. I guarantee it."

He stepped away, walking down from the platform. Tegan, still breathing heavily, turned to face him.

"Wait just a second," she said, making stop and face her expectantly. "Who exactly am I supposed to be battling? You keep going on about what and what not to do in battle, but you haven't said anything about who I'm meant to fight."

Horvath looked down for a moment, smirking thoughtfully to himself.

"That's a lesson for another day. I think you've done enough for today, I can tell you're tired. Come along, let's go home and get some food in you. You need to get to bed earlier as well."

"Hey!"

He turned away and started walking again. Tegan hurried down from the platform and caught up with him, placing a hand on his arm and pulling him back around to face her. He looked down at her, eyebrow raised questioningly. The fact that he was quite a few inches taller than her set in, but she didn't let him intimidate her.

"You're not telling me something, Horvath, and I'm pretty sure it's important. If it involves me, then I have a right to know about it."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, Miss Callahan," he said, forcing a charming smile. He turned and walked towards the door again. Tegan glared at his retreating back for a moment, then launched herself forward, standing in front of him with her back against the door. He stopped in his tracks and stared at her, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"What aren't you telling me, Maxim?"

Her use of his first name seemed to catch him surprise. Then his face hardened and he took a step forward, stopping only inches from her. She could feel his hot breath on her face, but made no move to back down, glaring defiantly up at him. He stared down at her, his eyes searching hers for any signs of weakness. He found none.

"There are some things," he said softly, his eyes boring into hers, "that you are not ready to hear. I will tell you when I think you are ready and able to listen to them and understand. I will not lose you over something as simple as a technicality."

Both their eyes widened as the implications of his words set in. He took a step back and raised his walking stick. She flinched instinctively, an action that was not lost on him. He simply placed it near her arm and used it to push her gently aside, out of the doorway. She scooted over grudgingly. He grasped the door handle and pulled roughly. The door popped open. He stepped out into the night.

Tegan closed her eyes and let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, falling back against the wall. She stood there for several long moments, biting her lip, thinking. She pushed off the wall and clicked off the lights, slamming the door harshly on her way out. Horvath was waiting for her outside. She walked past as though she hadn't seen him. He looked after her for a moment, then followed silently.

* * *

Lying in bed three nights later, Horvath was forced to confront his feelings for his young apprentice.

Over the past few days, he'd noticed several shifts in the way he thought about her. She'd gone from being simply 'the girl', to Miss Callahan, and now he realized that he thought about her as Tegan, though he had never addressed her as such. He was starting to look at her differently as well. He'd notice little things that she did, like the way she bit her lip when she was angry, or how her brow crinkled when she was thinking, how she would absently tilt her head to side and rub at the tattoo of a navigational compass she had on the back of her neck. Subtle things that he'd never paid attention to before now stood out in sharp reality. He realized that he was attracted to her.

But no. These thoughts and feelings were unacceptable. The bond between Master and Apprentice was sacred and could not be sullied. If a Master was found to have abused their relationship with their Apprentice, they could be robbed of their powers and sent into exile. This was one of the few things that Merlinians and Morganians agreed upon absolutely.

He rolled over, feeling more awake than he had all day. His mind was racing, processing at full speed. She'd started looking at him differently, too. He remembered earlier today when she'd been practicing a new and typically difficult defense spell. She was having trouble getting the stance right and he was getting frustrated.

* * *

"_No, no. Stop, you're not standing right. You're going to blow yourself up," Horvath said, stepping into the circle and walking towards her. She crossed her arms and glared at him as he approached._

"_Honestly, most sorcerers would have trouble with the chant, but you just can't _stand_ right. Try it again," he said, stopping about a foot from her. She gave him a snotty look, which he ignored, and resumed the stance. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration._

"_You've got to bend your knees. It's like golfing."_

"_Horvath, do I look like the type of person who enjoys golfing?" she snapped. "Give me some advice that's helpful, please."_

"_Just- move. Here, let me show you."_

_He had stepped up behind her, gently grabbing her arms and rotating them a few degrees. He lightly kicked the back of her left foot._

"_Move it forward about an inch," he'd told her, and was surprised by how quickly she complied. But she still wasn't bending her knees. He sighed, told her that she was still doing it wrong, and stepped a little bit closer to her, using his knees to force hers into the correct shape. His body was pressed almost flush against hers. Tegan looked over her shoulder at him and gave him the 'what-the-hell-do-you-think-you're-doing' look, but she didn't say anything. Approximately 6 seconds later she'd managed to erect a wall of thorny brambles in front of her, the snake eyes on the bracelet glowing brightly. Horvath stepped back._

"_There, I told you it was all about the stance."_

_She dropped her hands to her sides and looked over at him, a curious little spark in her eyes. She wiped a few strands of scarlet hair behind her ear and started walking down the platform, not saying anything. She'd been oddly quiet for the rest of the training session._

* * *

They'd eaten dinner in silence and she didn't say goodnight. Normally this wouldn't bother him, but today it did. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something changed between them. Whether or not it was a good change was yet to be seen, but something was definitely different.

He rolled over again and fell into a fitful sleep.

Tegan wanted a cigarette.

She'd quite smoking 2 years ago when she'd gotten busted on school grounds and hadn't even looked at a pack of smokes since. But now she was practically craving one.

She lay on the air mattress looking at the ceiling for a long while, then made up her mind and threw she sheets back and stealthily got to her feet. She glanced at her closed bedroom door, behind which Horvath was sleeping, and decided to be extra quiet.

She padded silently over to the couch where her clothes for tomorrow were folded, picking up the pair of lightly blue Capri's that Horvath had picked out with her thumb and forefinger, glaring distrustfully at them. She didn't appreciate people infringing on her freedom of expression, and she certainly wasn't going to let them do it without a fight. She let the grotesque trousers fall back onto the couch with a soft thump and stalked quietly over to the bathroom where the hamper was.

She rummaged though a week's worth of laundry until she found what she was looking for: a faded and torn pair of acid-wash jeans she'd picked up at a Goodwill a few months ago. She grinned to herself and tugged them on, pleased to find that they still fit her. They were a tad wrinkled, but she didn't care. She crossed again into the kitchen and picked up her wallet, making sure she had enough cash. She stuffed the wallet into her back pocket and walked over to the door where her jacket hung.

She tugged her boots and coat on, fluffing her hair out from under the collar. She took one last look at the closed bedroom door, then opened the door and stepped out into the dark hallway.

She took the stairs two at a time, wanting to go and get back as quickly as possible before Horvath woke up and realized she was gone. She wasn't sure, but she had a feeling he'd be angry with her. She shook her head to clear her mind, easily sneaking past the ever-sleeping doorman and out into the chilly September air. She hung a left, heading for the 7-11 down the street.

It was past midnight, so relatively few people were out on the street. She knew Parkland, Washington like the back of her hand, having lived the majority of her life there. She knew what places to avoid, where to go to get a deal good deal, and all the hotspots for nightlife. The 7-11 was about a 6 minute walk from where she lived, so there and back would be 12 minutes. She gave it 15 minutes, allowing time to buy and pay for the cigarettes. Plenty of time to sneak back in without Horvath ever having to know she'd been gone.

She didn't quite know what it was, but something about him was different. He was still rude and fussy and sarcastic, but there was less venom put behind his insults, less bite in his derogatory remarks. She'd noticed it over the past two days. Subtle changes in his facial expressions when he looked at her were the first clue that something was up. She realized with a jolt that he was attracted to her. It was an even bigger jolt when she realized that she was attracted to him, too.

He may be a spiteful, limey, overweight bastard that was old enough to be her ancestor, but something about him was just… sexy.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the two dark shapes coming towards her from behind the dumpster.

Before she knew what was going on, she'd been grabbed from behind and dragged back into the shadows. A hand was clamped painfully over her mouth, so she couldn't scream. Someone had hold of her wrists, so she couldn't flail or strike at them. Cold fear formed in the pit of her stomach as a man chuckle throatily in her ear.

"Look's like we got ourselves a live one," he said, and she realized there were two of them. She couldn't see their faces, but she could make out the outline of their broad shoulders. They were big, bigger than her at least. And she was outnumbered. It wasn't hard to guess their intentions, considering one of them was now roughly fumbling to get her jacket off. Tegan kicked out at him, catching him off guard straight in the chest. He staggered back, dazed.

A hand slammed hard into the side of her face, disorienting her. She saw stars and tasted copper in her mouth. She found herself pushed roughly to the ground, one of the men straddling her and closing a large hand around her throat. She gasped for air.

"Stay down, bitch!" he shouted, spraying spit in her face. She grabbed his pinky finger and yanked it back, remembering what her self-defense teacher had told her. The man howled like baby and let go. She focused her energy and formed a plasma ball in her palm. She pushed out with all her might, slamming it into his chest. He flew violently backwards, slamming hard into the dumpster. She rolled onto her stomach and staggered to her feet, running before she was even fully upright. She didn't look back, hoping they weren't following her. She doubted it; she'd kicked the one guy right in the diaphragm, which was probably hemorrhaging, and the other guy didn't look like he'd be in any condition to give chase after making friends with the dumpster. Nonetheless, she didn't stop running until she was back in the apartment. Heart pounded, she staggered for the bathroom, making it just in time before she was sick.

And she didn't even get her cigarettes.

Horvath awoke with a start. It took him a moment to figure out what it was that woke him. A loud crash coming from the living room gave him an idea. He whipped back the covers and grabbed his walking stick, unsealing the door and wrenching it open, brandishing the cane like a sword.

The apartment was empty.

He heard a retching sound and looked sharply to his right, into the bathroom. His eyes widened in shock. Tegan was on her knees in front of the toilet, blood and bile dribbling from her mouth. Her hair was a mess and there was a bloody gash on the side of her face. He dropped his walking stick and rushed over, pulling her hair back just in time. She was shaking violently, her hands hardly able to keep hold of the toilet seat edge.

When she was done being sick she collapsed backwards into his arms, panting heavily. He noticed she had a black eye forming, and the right side of her face was swollen and bloody. He saw bruises on her neck and narrowed his eyes. He also realized for the first time that she was fully clothed, implying that she'd been out. Doing what, he could scarcely imagine. Whatever it was, he certainly hoped it had been worth this.

She let out a strangled sob and reached back, grabbing hold of his hand so tightly it made him wince. He flipped open the cabinet under the sink and grabbed a washcloth, moving slightly to run it under cold water.

She pulled away slightly when he tried to sponge some of the blood off her face, but he held her tightly and whispered that he was trying to help. She stopped fighting and went limp. He looked at her for a moment longer, then gently began to dab at her battered face.

When she was mostly cleaned up, he carefully lifted her up and carried her into her room, laying her gently on the bed. He thought she deserved to sleep here after whatever it was she'd been through. He tugged the blankets over her and tucked her in, then went to leave. Her hand shot out and grabbed the sleeve of his nightshirt.

"Don't-" she croaked out. He stopped, looking at her with a furrowed brow.

"Don't leave me."

Horvath hesitated. Her hand tightened around his sleeve, pulling at him. He stepped back towards her. She rolled over in the bed and scooted to the far edge, leaving just enough room for him. He hesitated for much longer this time.

He pulled aside the covers and climbed in, careful to keep space between himself and Tegan. She didn't seem to mind this and made no move to initiate contact. Horvath stared at the back of her head for a long while, thinking. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	6. Aftermath

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story. I also do not own the lyrics or music or anything having to do with the song Mr. Brightside or The Killers.

A/N: I've written all of this in advance before publishing, because I've found that once I publish a story I gradually lose interest in it. I hope I'm not boring anyone with my rambling. Reviews are welcome and appreciated, even bad ones.

* * *

Dave Stutler picked up the phone and dialed the number he now knew by heart. It rang twice before a bland, scratchy man's voice answered.

"I see it, Dave. We'll be there in five minutes."

The line went dead. Dave looked at his cell phone for a moment, then clicked it shut and tucked it inside his jeans pocket. He stared down at the new painting in the Encantis with a furrowed brow.

It was the red haired girl again, but this time Horvath was nowhere in sight. She was on the ground, her right foot kicking out in the direction of a crumpled man on the sidewalk clutching his stomach, and her left hand was pressed into the chest of another man who appeared to have been on top of her, a plasma ball adding more devastation to an already painful blow. The caption read, just as vague as the last one, '_Prime Morganian defending herself.'_ Dave looked at her face and felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

Her eyes were narrowed to cold slits of hatred. Her expression was a feral, almost animalistic mask of rage, the blood running down from a cut on her forehead only added to the image. He started when Becky wound her arms around his shoulders, laying a gentle kiss on his temple.

"Who's that?" she asked, resting her chin on the top of his head and pointing at the picture. He tried to glance up at her, then realized he couldn't see past his own forehead and felt stupid. He cleared his throat.

"Well, we're not really sure. Apparently she's the Prime Morganian, whose mission is to resurrect Morgana and bring about the end of the world as we know it. But we don't know her name, we don't know where she is, and we don't know how powerful she is. All we know is that she's Horvath's apprentice," he flipped back to the picture from a week and a half ago and pointed at Horvath, "she's mastered both flame-throwing and plasma balls, and she has a nasty temper. That's about it. Balthazar and Veronica should be here any minute now, so-"

A sharp, insistent knocking came from the door. Becky sighed and got up from behind Dave. She was about a foot away from the door when it opened of it's own accord and Balthazar stepped in, closely followed by Veronica. He nodded at Becky, then made straight for Dave.

"No, please, come right in," Dave said sarcastically. Balthazar ignored him and sat down next to him on the little step down from the living room. He practically ripped the Encantis out of Dave's hands and began scanning over the picture. Dave looked to Veronica for help, but all he got was an apologetic, sympathetic smile. Becky rolled her eyes.

"Aha!" Balthazar said after several moment of tense silence. He pointed dramatically in the upper left corner of the painting. They all leaned closer, squinting to see what he'd found.

It was a street sign.

"If we can make out what that says, we can narrow down the search area. Can you read what that says?" he said, tilting the book in Veronica's direction. She leaned over and squinted at it for a long moment, but shook her head no.

"It's too small to make out," she said, straightening back up and sighing apologetically. Balthazar looked at Dave, who threw up his hands and shook his head.

"It looks like it says 'Pacific Avenue'," Becky said, surprising them all. Balthazar looked at her for a moment, then quickly examined the painting again. He looked back up.

"I think you're right. Has anyone got a magnifying glass handy?"

"Oh, gee, I just gave my last one away," Dave said, snapping his fingers in mock disappointment. Everyone stared at him like he'd just announced he was pregnant. He grimaced and shut up. Becky handed Balthazar a magnifying glass. He leaned over the painting and squinted through the glass.

"Yes, it definitely says Pacific Avenue. And I'm pretty that's part of a 7-11 sign over there. I think that narrows it down significantly, don't you? All we need to do is find a Pacific Avenue with a 7-11 on the corner and a blue dumpster behind it. A dented one. Dave, do you think you can find that for me on the computer machine?"

Dave sighed, smiling slightly at Balthazar's butchery of the language.

"I'll see what I can do, Balthazar."

* * *

As Horvath opened his eyes in the morning sunlight, he knew something was off.

For one thing, he was nearly falling out of the bed, which was strange considering he usually slept right in the middle. He was also missing some blankets. And he was facing right instead of left, which is the side he usually slept on. However, none of these odd facts compared to the fact that his apprentice was fast asleep next to him, snuggled into his chest.

Memories of the night before flooded his mind. He was suddenly angry. He still didn't know what had happened for her to end up that way, battered and bruised, vomiting blood. He didn't know who'd done that to her, but he certainly intended to find out.

It suddenly occurred to him that this was not the position he fell asleep in. The last thing he remembered was staring at the back of Tegan's head while she slept, facing away from him with her arms curled around the edge of the pillow. There'd been a good deal of space between them, considering they were sharing a twin-sized bed meant for only one person. When he'd fallen asleep, he certainly hadn't had his arms wrapped possessively around her waist, and she hadn't been snuggled against him, her hand clasping at his nightshirt, her hair falling perfectly into her beaten face…

He shook himself. No, he wasn't going to do this. He carefully pried her fingers away from his nightshirt and gently pulled his arm out from under her. She made a face in her sleep like she disapproved, but she didn't stir. He carefully rolled out of bed and stood up. She didn't wake. He smiled thoughtfully at her sleeping form. He turned and gathered his clothes, heading out to the bathroom to change and get the day started. He decided they would leave the training for another day.

* * *

Tegan ached all over.

She sat up in bed and rubbed her face, immediately wincing in pain. She tentatively felt around her face, gently this time. She could feel a crusty scab on her left eyebrow, a painful split in her lip, and a lump on her forehead. She remembered what had happened the night before.

She looked around her. Horvath was nowhere in sight, though she was sure she'd made him stay with her last night. She blushed, suddenly embarrassed. He'd probably gotten up as soon as she fell asleep. She couldn't exactly imagine Horvath sacrificing his dignity to keep her company.

She slowly swung her legs over the edge of the bed, touching the floor cautiously. She stood up and instantly felt dizzy. She reached back and used the bed to steady herself. She could smell bacon cooking in the next room now, and she'd be damned if she let him eat it all. She forced herself to stand straight and steady, then took a few hesitant steps. Nausea washed over her, but she ignored it. She had to get herself over this. The first step was to get on her feet and walk around, be mobile again. She thought she was doing a splendid job of that.

She stopped at the door, leaning against it for a long moment, breathing heavily. Simply the effort of walking across the room had worn her out. There was no way in hell that she was going to be able to do anything magical today. The thought of it made her head spin. She took hold of the doorknob and twisted.

Horvath was sitting on the couch, reading the morning paper and looked dapper as usual. He started to stand up when he saw her, but she waved him away, making a beeline for the bathroom. She shut and locked the door behind her. She almost screamed when she looked in the mirror.

It didn't even look like her face anymore. Those bastards had really done a number on her. A split lip, a black eye, bruises on her neck and jaw, a gash on her brow, and a possible chipped tooth. He'd hit her pretty damn hard. She was lucky to have gotten away. She probably wouldn't have been able to without using the plasma ball. She looked fondly at the silver snake coiled around her wrist. It may have saved her life.

She used the bathroom and got washed up, trying to disinfect the more serious wounds without reopening them and causing unnecessary pain to herself. It was difficult, but she managed. She considered taking a shower, but decided to wait until that night. She always slept better when she was all fresh and clean. She ran a comb through her tangled hair, wincing as it snagged repeatedly. She cursed herself for not conditioning the morning before.

When she'd made herself presentable for the public and applied makeup to the best of her ability, she finally exited the bathroom, nearly twenty minutes having elapsed. Horvath was still on the couch, though he'd set the paper aside in favor of her Encantis. Whatever he was looking at had obviously upset him. His brow was furrowed and his eyes narrowed. He apparently didn't notice her as she walked around the couch and stood behind him and looked over his shoulder, because he started when she commented that they got their jackets wrong.

"I beg your pardon?" Horvath said, looking back at her. She pointed at the jackets of the two men in the picture; the one's who'd attacked her the night before. The jackets looked new and sporty, not at all like the grubby, workman's jackets they'd been wearing in reality. Horvath stared at her incredulously, probably because of her nonchalant tone. She walked around the couch towards the kitchen, where a plate of bacon and eggs sat waiting for her on the table. She smiled slightly and sat down.

She ate in silence. She could feel Horvath's eyes on her for the first few minutes, but she ignored him. He gave up eventually.

She didn't know why she was being so cold to him. He'd cleaned her up last night and carried her into her bed, which she hadn't slept in for almost two weeks. He tucked her in and stayed with her when she'd asked him to. He'd even cooked her breakfast. Yet she couldn't bring herself to thank him for anything of these things. Not just yet, at least.

She finished eating- it was delicious, and she made a note to ask where he'd learn to cook -and put her dishes in the sink, running water over the plate to get the worst of the leftover egg flakes off. She clicked on the radio she kept on the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee.

_Comin' out of my cage,_

_And I been doing just fine._

_Gotta gotta be down_

_Because I want it all…_

Tegan squealed and cranked up the volume. She loved this song and hadn't heard it in forever. Horvath glared over at her, but made no comment.

_It started out with a kiss_

_How did it end up like this?_

_It was only a kiss…_

_It was only a kiss…_

_

* * *

_

Horvath glanced up again, catching some of the lyrics. Tegan was dancing in place slightly, holding her coffee cup and lip-synching the words.

_Now I'm falling asleep_

_And she's calling a cab_

_While he's having a smoke_

_And she's taking a drag_

_Now they're going to bed_

_And my stomach is sick_

_And it's all in my head_

_But she's touching his chest now_

_He takes off her dress now_

_Let me go_

Horvath raised an eyebrow at the provocative lyrics, and at Tegan, who was dancing and swaying a little more actively now. She sipped quickly at her coffee during a

break in the words.

_I just can't look_

_It's killing me_

_And taking control_

Tegan reached over and turned the volume higher, not looking at anything in particular.

_Jealousy_

_Turning saints into the sea_

_Swimming through sick lullabies _

_Choking on your alibis_

_But it's just the price we pay_

_Destiny is calling me_

_Open up my eager eyes_

_I'm Mr. Brightside_

Horvath looked up again, distracted by the lyrics. Tegan's eyes were closed and she was swaying, head bobbing. She obviously liked the song very much, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. The lyrics didn't make sense, or rhyme for that matter. The chorus began to repeat. The entire song repeated itself, with only mildly different inflections of the voice and multiple repeats of certain lines.

_I never…_

_I never…_

_I never…_

_I never…_

'_Never what?'_ Horvath thought to himself, annoyed by the pointless repetition. The song faded slowly and ended. Tegan opened her eyes and stopped swaying. She stared at the radio for a moment, then made a face and clicked it off as a nasally female voice crackled over the speaker, accompanied by what sounded like explosions in the background. She looked over at Horvath, who'd been staring at her with an amused expression, and much to his surprised, she poked her tongue out at him. He raised an eyebrow. She blushed and turned away. He could have sworn he heard a giggle.

Tegan was giddy now, and she didn't know why. It might have been the blow to her head last night, or it might have been the combination of a good breakfast. Whatever it was, the damage was done. She was going to be hyper for the rest of the day until she fell asleep. And Horvath had to deal with her. Take that.

"What were you even doing out last night?" she heard him ask from behind her. She turned and gave him a questioning look. He rolled his eyes and gestured to the picture in the Encantis depicting her fighting off attackers. She shrugged.

"I went to buy some cigarettes," she said, though it were the most normal thing in the world. He gave her a look.

"I didn't know you smoked."

"I don't."

Horvath blinked, processing this.

"Then why on earth were you out buying cigarettes at one in the morning if you don't even smoke?"

"I was planning to start again. It was a rough day, alright? I needed a smoke."

"Remind me again why you couldn't have waited until morning?"

She shrugged opening the fridge and peering inside even though she wasn't the least bit hungry.

"I guess I'm just one of those 'instant satisfaction' people. I wanted a smoke right then, so I was going to get it. Then those two bastards got in my way and distracted me and I came back home, minus my intended cargo. It's not a big deal."

Horvath looked at her for a long moment, not certain if he'd heard correctly. She noticed him looking and stared back at him, eyes wide and unblinking. She laughed and whooped when he blinked, startling him.

"Ha! You blinked! You lose, I win. Ha ha. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to buy those cigarettes I was unable to obtain last night due to multiple idiots attacking me."

She made for the door, but Horvath stood up and blocked her path. She stopped and inch away from him and stared stubbornly at his chest, as though willing him to move. Needless to say, he didn't. If anything, he just stood a bit straighter.

"You will be doing no such thing," he said sternly. She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to silence her. "I don't know what's gotten in to you today, but I won't have it, not after last night. I don't appreciate it one bit, you going out in the middle of the night without telling me, and to buy cigarettes of all things. Have you looked in the mirror? Did you see what they've done to your face? And now you want to up and go out again, looking the way you do? It's absurd. I realize you're probably accustomed to having people stare at you, but this is a different matter entirely. No. You will be staying here. You can watch you're ridiculous crime dramas and eat junk food and nap and do whatever you like, but I'll not have you out and about, do you understand?"

Tegan pouted, still staring into his chest. He glared down at her, trying to make her look at him, but she stubbornly refused to meet his eyes. He eventually gave up, throwing his hands in the air in frustration. He stepped aside, gesturing harshly towards the door. She shot forward immediately, slouching on her jacket and pulling on her boots. She strode up to the door and took hold of the handle.

Then she stopped. Horvath glanced back at her. She stood facing the door, her head bowed, hand on the doorknob. Slowly, very slowly, she let it fall. She turned back to him.

He didn't know what to make of the look in her eyes, all he knew was that he hoped to never see it again. He watched her and she took off her jacket and boots and arranged them neatly by the door. She hesitated for a moment and straightened her shirt, then walked over the couch and plopped down on it, taking hold of the remote and turning on the TV. She flipped channels for a few moments, Horvath watching her all the time, until she settled on something called '_Law & Order: SVU_.' She sat back and put up her feet, content.


	7. Complications Arise

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and violence and *mature situations.*

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: Just to warn you, I am really lazy and make up this stuff as I go without doing any research. I live in Washington, so I just get my info visually from looking around. If I got any facts or locations wrong, I'm sorry. You can tell me, but I won't guarantee that I'll fix them or repost anything. Just a word of warning. Please review. I will love you forever.

* * *

Horvath swung his walking stick in a wide arc above his head, then pulled it back and jabbed out sharply. Thousands of tiny stones hurtled towards Tegan, who made a series of complicated hand gestures at an incredible speed. The air immediately in front of her solidified into an invisible wall. The stones stopped dead in the air and clattered noisily to the ground. Before they hit, however, she was in motion again, spinning wildly and twirling her arms around her. Horvath reacted just in time to block the razor sharp sheets of ice from cutting him to ribbons. He let out a sharp whistle and Tegan stopped and dropped her hands by her sides, breathing heavily. She grinned at him.

"That was fun," she said, jerking head to get the hair out of her eyes. Horvath smirked and stepped forward.

"I don't remember teaching you the ice trick, Miss Callahan. Would you mind telling me where you learned it?"

Nearly a week had passed since the night she'd home beaten to a pulp, since they'd shared a bed, and yet he still couldn't bring himself to use her given name. She hadn't used his again either.

"I was doing a bit of light reading a few days ago and I found it in the Encantis. It looked interesting, so I studied it. I practiced in the living room when you were sleeping."

He raised an eyebrow, stopping a short distance in front of her.

"Ah, so that's what happened to the curtain… I'm impressed. It takes a considerable amount of skill to master new spells outside of the pentacle. Have you been studying anything else I should know about before we duel again? We can't have you catching me off guard and accidentally grinding me to a pulp, now can we? Then where would you be?"

"Watching TV and eating beef jerky," she answered smoothly, grinning cockily at him. He snorted derisively. "Besides," she continued, shrugging slightly. "I've got the Encantis, right? So what do I even need you for?" she asked silkily, beginning to slowly circle him. He could tell she was teasing him. He simply glared at her half-heartedly.

"Well for one thing, without me you probably couldn't pronounce half of the spells. You also might have trouble getting stance right, holding the Encantis and casting at the same time. You'd have no one to duel and sharpen your skills with, no one to give you positive reinforcement-"

"Like you've ever done," she said sarcastically, giving him a look. He continued as though she hadn't interrupted, glancing over his shoulder to look at her.

"-Or tell you when you're making a complete fool out of yourself. Plus, you'd be totally on your own when Balthazar and his little crew came knocking. You'd have to fend them off yourself and-"

"Wait, what? Balthazar as in Balthazar Blake, as in Merlin's other apprentice?"

Horvath's eyes widened and realized that he'd said too much. Tegan stopped circling and came to stand in front of him, hands on her hips.

"Why exactly should I be expecting Balthazar Blake to show up on my doorstep?" she said, staring at him intently. Horvath cursed himself, realizing there was no way he was getting out of this. He had to tell her.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, she was still staring at him, eyebrows raised expectantly. Her eyes were like twin diamonds, sharp and clear and oh so cold. He swallowed reflexively.

"Do you recall last week when you refused to let me exit the warehouse until I told you what I wasn't telling you?" he said, realizing that it was a very pathetic way to start a story. Her eyes widened as the realization struck her, and she took a step back from him. Her expression with filled with confusion and distrust. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He continued.

"You are the Prime Morganian. Your purpose is to resurrect Morgana, whom the Prime Merlinian defeated in battle a little under four years ago. The Prime Merlinian was Balthazar's apprentice, though I dare say he's a bit past that stage now. I was there the night Morgana was defeated and I fought them. I escaped while they were distracted, and I've been trying to find you ever since, which turned out to be a lot easier than I first thought. I'm guessing that Balthazar and the others have become aware of your existence now, thanks to that damn book and it's constant recording of information," he gestured furiously at the Encantis with his walking stick, but she didn't turn. "Knowing Balthazar and the whelp, they'll have already started trying to find us, which may actually be quite difficult. The Encantis did one thing well and neglected to display your name or our location, so that should slow them down. But the boy is cleverer than I gave him credit for at first. If anyone can find us, I'm sure he will. When they do, they'll probably try to talk to you rationally at first, try and convince you that I'm a crazy old hack who's been poisoning your mind with lies of grandeur and infinite power. You've already solved that problem by announcing you don't want any of that, so when that tactic fails they'll probably try to kill me or lock us both in the Grimhold. An enchanted nesting doll that acts as an inescapable prison," he added upon seeing her confused expression. She nodded for him to go on, her face once more an expressionless mask.

"I would like to point out that you have made excellent progress, most likely due to your natural affinity for magic. If all they have to go by is the paintings in the Encantis, they'll probably assume you've been in training for much longer than you have in actuality. If they can't convince you that I'm a madman or play with your mind in some other way, then it will probably end in a fight to the death. Preferably theirs. That is why I've been training you as hard as I have. That's why we've gone straight to attack and defensive spells and skipped some of the more basic ones. Because we might die and they'd be useless and I'd have wasted valuable time teaching you how to ward doors and do dishes magically. The fate of the planet rests in your hands. If we win this war I'll teach you all about removing stains and drying cloths and making music come out of your mouth, but not a moment before. I will not jeopardize everything so you can impress your friends with parlor tricks, understand?"

She had been listening intently to him, never taking her eyes off his face. Her gaze was starting to make him uncomfortable, but he showed no outward signs of it. She had tilted her head slightly to the side and crossed her arms, but otherwise hadn't moved an inch. She bit the inside of her lip, the only clue he had to what was going on inside her head.

She abruptly turned around and walked off the platform, striding over and grabbing her jacket off one of the many desks and heading for the door. Horvath started after her. She raised a hand over her head, not looking back.

"Don't even try to follow me. I need to think. Don't wait up. I'll meet you at home."

Horvath stopped, looking dumbfounded, and watched her walk out into the cool evening air, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

"Okay, I've narrowed the location down to three states," Dave announced to the room at large. Balthazar and Veronica looked up from the Encantis as he came in, neither of them looking particularly surprised that he was in their house. Dave came over and set the papers he'd gotten off Google Maps down in front of them.

"The only ones with a Pacific Avenue are California, New Jersey, and Washington state. I couldn't get detailed picture of the areas, so I think we'll just have to go to each state and narrow it down on foot."

Balthazar stared at the printouts intently for a moment, then looked up Dave.

"I think you're right. This is great, Dave. Thank you. We could probably work faster if we all went to different state and split up, to cover more ground in less time-"

He caught sight of Veronica's raised eyebrow and Dave's befuddled, slightly panicked expression.

"…But it would probably be safer if we all went as a group. We know what Horvath's capable of, but we're still unsure of how advanced the girl's powers are. If one of us got caught by them alone, the consequences could be fatal. Let's start in New Jersey."

"Why New Jersey?" Dave asked.

"So we can get it over with and get out," Balthazar said, smirking at him. "And because I don't think they're there. Horvath wouldn't be able to stand it there and would probably make her move, but we should check just to be safe. We should probably copy the girl's picture and show it around. Someone is bound to recognize her. Can the computer machine do that, Dave?"

"Yes, Balthazar, the computer machine can copy and print her face. I'll go do that right now."

"Good man. Tell Becky hello for us."

"Right. Bye Veronica."

"Goodbye, David. Let us know when you've got the pictures ready."

"Can do. Bye."

Dave shut the door gently on his way out, then stopped and stood on the doorstep for a moment. It struck him for the first time how little information they had to go on. The Encantis wasn't being very helpful at all, with it's violent pictures and obscure captions. It was almost like the old book didn't _want_ them to find Horvath and the Prime Morganian…

Dave thought for a moment longer, then shook himself and started down the steps.

* * *

Horvath had long since given up waiting for her to come back. He'd gone back to the apartment shortly after she'd stormed out and had sat waiting for her, flipping channels, reading old magazines and newspapers. He'd made dinner and eaten by himself, her empty spot at the table sitting louder and more obnoxiously than she ever could. He'd washed and dried the dishes, put them away in the cupboard, then poured himself a glass of some old liquor he found under the kitchen sink that had probably been there since before she moved in. It was surprisingly delicious.

He eventually changed into his nightclothes and went to bed, where he couldn't sleep. He'd rolled over and clicked the light back on around midnight. The clock now read 2:38.

He was about a hundred pages in to _The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo_ by Stieg Larsson, a book he'd found sitting by her bed in the living room, when he heard her come in and shut the door. He thought about getting up and demanding to know where the hell she'd been and tell her never to do that ever again, but he decided against it and went back to the book. He could hear her out in the living room, sliding off her jacket and kicking off her boots. He heard her pad over to the kitchen, probably to examine the bottle he'd left out on the counter. He heard the clinking of glass and guessed she'd poured some for herself. There was another curious rustling sound and he guessed she was getting dressed for bed. He was having trouble concentrating and had to reread the same line of text three times before he processed it.

He looked up suddenly as he heard the door handle turn. He'd left it unwarded. The door creaked open, revealing her standing there with only a sheet wrapped around her lean body, a half empty glass in her left hand. Her hair was messed up and her makeup was smeared like she'd been crying. He sat up a little straighter in bed.

"Are you alright?"

She shook her head.

"What's wrong?"

She walked over to the bed, took the book from his hands, and put it on the bedside table. Then she bent down and kissed him on the mouth. Horvath's eyes widened, but he didn't pull away. She tasted of scotch. She pulled away and got quickly into the bed next to him, dropping the sheet in the process, and sat looking at him, searching him. He noticed she had a tattooed line of writing under her left breast, though he couldn't read what it said without looking like he was staring, and the corner of another tattoo showed on her right hip. She put her hand on the sheet over his stomach. When he did not protest she adjusted her position and started unbuttoning his nightshirt.

Horvath was flabbergasted. He grabbed her wrists gently and pulled her hands away, looking at her.

"Tegan…" he said, using her given name for the first time. She looked at him. "We can't do this."

She tilted her head and looked at him.

"Why?"

He floundered to come up with a good argument, his brain not wanting to function properly.

"We- we live together," he said lamely. "We have to work together. It will be awkward-"

"I want to have sex with you," she said, cutting him off mid-sentence. He closed his mouth and swallowed reflexively at her blunt, emotionless tone. She continued. "And I won't have any problem working or living with you, but I will have a hell of a problem with you if you kick me out of my own bedroom."

"But I'm old enough to be your father!" he said, slightly desperate.

She laughed, an sharp, abrupt laugh that sounded almost like a cough.

"I've never let anything like that stand in my way before. You obviously don't know me very well, Maxim, which also suits me just fine. And you obviously haven't had any for a while. So what's wrong? Aren't I sexy enough for you?" She grinned lopsidedly at him.

Horvath tried to think of some other clever protest to offer. When he couldn't, she pulled the covers off of him and straddled him. She reached over and clicked off the light, then resumed undoing his nightshirt.

"Tegan, I don't have any c-"

"Screw it."


	8. The Morning After

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I'm trying to progress Horvath and Tegan's relationship gradually, but not too slowly that it becomes boring. How am I doing so far?

* * *

When Horvath woke up, he could hear Tegan in the kitchen. He glanced over at the clock. It wasn't even 7:00 yet. He'd only gotten two hours of sleep last night, and had been dozing for the past half-hour. He lay in bed for a while longer, thinking about last night.

He was baffled by this girl. The events of the night before had been random, unprovoked. She had simply walked into his bedroom wearing nothing but a sheet, started to undress him, and announced she wanted to have sex. She didn't seem to care that it might become awkward between them or affect their work, or that he was well over twice her age (several hundred times her age, actually), or that she was his apprentice and he was her master and he was breaking all of the most sacred rules that went along with that arrangement. And then when it was over, she'd just gotten up and went back to her air mattress in the living room, leaving him lying there feeling bewildered, used, and a little dirty. She hadn't even said goodnight.

He sighed and pulled his thoughts together. The events of last night could never happen again. He'd have to put his foot down about that. He knew she'd probably just raise an eyebrow and smirk at him and get him all flustered, but he had to try.

When the clock read 7:29 he knew he'd been in bed too long and it was time to get up and face the day. And her.

He got dressed quickly, taking a little longer than necessary to straighten his shirt and flatten his hair. When he was satisfied, he took a deep breath, steeled himself, and opened the bedroom door.

Tegan was standing in front of the stove making scrambled eggs, dressed in a tight purple tank top and a pair of old cut-off jeans. She had her hair tied up into a messy bun, giving him full view to the compass tattooed on the back of her neck. He could see a little bit of another tattoo on her right shoulder blade, but most of it was covered by her shirt. Horvath had to resist the strong urge to walk up behind her and kiss her shoulder. She turned around when he heard him step out.

"Good morning," she said. She wore a hint of a smile.

"Hi," was all Horvath could manage. She turned back to the eggs.

"We were out of milk, so I went to 7-11. It's the cheap stuff, but there's a gallon of it." She took the eggs of the heat and scraped half on one plate and half on another. The toast popped out of the toaster a few seconds later. Horvath was still standing in the bedroom doorway.

How could she possibly be so nonchalant? He didn't expect her to be a giggling schoolgirl, but he also didn't expected her to be so flippant about it, like it didn't even happen. He willed his feet to move and walked over to the table, taking his usual seat. She set a plate of eggs and toast in front of him, and two different jars of jam. She opened the refrigerator.

"Orange juice or milk?" she asked, leaning forward. Her shirt rode up a little, revealing the zodiac symbol for Leo tattooed on her right hip.

"Milk, please," he answered, still staring at the tattoo. It disappeared under the hem of her shirt as she straightened up, milk in one hand a carton of orange juice in the other. She shut the refrigerator door with her foot and poured one glass of each substance, then replaced them on the top shelf. She set the milk down in front of him and the orange juice in front of her seat, along with her plate. She reached out and took a slice of butter, slathering it on her toast. She made a noise, then got back up and opened the fridge again. When she sat back down, she had the ketchup in her hand. This she squirted on her eggs. Horvath made a face.

"How on earth can you eat that?" he asked as she scooped a forkful into her mouth. She looked at him and chewed for a moment.

"What? It's yummy."

"It's disgusting."

She scooped up a large forkful and shoved it obnoxiously in her mouth. Horvath raised an eyebrow.

"How mature of you," he said caustically.

"Hush and eat your breakfast."

They ate in silence for several minutes.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked suddenly. He looked up sharply, unsure of whether or not she was mocking him. He saw no malice in her eyes and relaxed.

"Yes, thank you." He hesitated. "And you?"

"Mm hmm," she said, chewing that last of the eggs and beginning to peel the crusts off her toast.

They didn't speak for the rest of the meal.

* * *

Tegan thought Horvath was reacting rather well under the circumstances.

She didn't regret last night. She'd been a little worried when she woke up that he'd overreact and try to bring it up, or think that this suddenly meant he could touch her whenever he wanted. It didn't. She'd been upset last night and wanted a distraction. He'd served that purpose rather well, though he had been a little rusty, and at times unnecessarily rough. She had almost laughed at how confused he looked when she got up and went back to the air mattress, but she knew that if she stayed with him he might have taken it the wrong way. She didn't regret that decision at all.

She noticed that he kept glancing at her over breakfast, but he never said anything. Nor did she.

Once breakfast was over, she got up and took their dishes, placing them in the sink to be washed later. By now it was almost half past eight. She decided to take a shower. Horvath looked up from the paper, which he was now reading, when she announced this, but didn't comment. She headed towards the bathroom.

While undressing she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She smirked fondly at her many tattoos. She'd gotten them all in the past three years, several at her friends insistence. The only one she regretted was the Leo symbol on her hip, because it always prompted the people who saw it to ask when her birthday was. The line of spidery text under her left breast read _'If you think you're free, there's no escape possible'_, a quote by someone called Ram Dass that she'd come across in a book once. She had a tattoo of a flapping hummingbird on her right shoulder blade, which was the first tattoo she'd gotten as a sweet-sixteenth birthday present to herself. She also had a compass on the back of her neck, which she'd gotten because she was bored. She had a ring of thorns on her right ankle and a shooting star on the bottom of her left foot. That one had hurt the most.

She turned away from the mirror and pulled the tie out of her hair, setting it in the edge of the sink. She grabbed a towel from the underneath cabinet and set it on the toilet lid, then pulled back the shower curtain and leaned down to turn on the water.

She stepped it when it was scalding, sighing in contentment as the steam turned her skin pink.

She started by washing her hair, that way she'd have time to bathe while her conditioner was setting. She'd worked out this system as a child and had stuck to it for all these years. She shut her eyes tight and scrubbed, screwing up her face as the lather ran down over her forehead. After a moment of vigorous massaging, she stuck her head back under the water and held it there until all the bubbles were gone. Then she applied conditioner and grabbed the bar of soap.

By the time she was finished washing her body, shaving, and rinsing her conditioner out, 25 minutes had passed and the hot water was dwindling. She finally turned it off when it started to run cold, if only to spite her neighbors, and pulled back the shower curtain. She grabbed the towel off the toilet and dried herself off, then wrapped the towel around her hair to stop it from dripping. She stuck a Spiderman Band-Aid on the small cut she got while shaving her legs, then opened the bathroom door and stepped out naked, accompanied by a dramatic cloud of steam.

She smirked when Horvath nearly choked on his coffee.

She stepped into her bedroom and shut the door, spending the next ten minutes making up her mind on what to wear. She completely ignored all the clothes that Horvath had picked out, which narrowed down the selection considerably. She decided on a hot pink tank top emblazoned with '_The Used'_ in neon green and a pair of dark grey pinstriped short-shorts. She chose not to wear a bra today. She examined herself in the mirror, turning this way and that, adjusting her shirt and tugging on her shorts until they fit just right. Then she headed over to the battered old vanity and applied her customary layer of makeup. She took the towel out of her hair and combed the tangles out, then styled it with a little bit of anti-frizz gel and hairspray. When her routine was complete, she took a step back and admired herself.

She looked damn good.

* * *

"Balthazar, we've walked up and down this street three times, and I haven't seen a 7-11 on a corner with a dented blue dumpster behind it any of those times. I think we can all agree that they're not in New Jersey."

Balthazar looked at Dave, who was squinting at him because of the sun, then turned to Veronica. She shook her head. He sighed, half in relief, half in frustration.

"Alright then, let's get out of here and head home for the night. We'll check California tomorrow. I hope no one stole my eagle…"

* * *

"You've really got to tell me when you've learned a new attack spell," Horvath said, brushing some dirt off the shoulder of his jacket. Tegan smirked back at him from across the pentacle, arms crossed.

He'd been caught off guard by the dust funnel, and she was proud of herself.

"It's always good to have the element of surprise," she told him, walking towards him. She raised a hand when she reached him, and plucked a leaf out of his hair, letting it fall to the ground with a raised eyebrow.

"I wonder where that came from," she said aloud, tilting her head to the right. He ran a hand through his hair frantically, checking for anymore debris. He found none and let his hand fall, feeling slightly foolish. She smiled up at him. He stared back and felt compelled to kiss her. He never got the chance to act on this impulse, because she suddenly turned on her heel and strode away from him, down off the platform.

It had been one week and two days since they'd slept together, and still neither of them had mentioned it. She hadn't made anymore midnight ventures into his bed and he hadn't attempted to initiate anything for fear of upsetting her or seeming too much like a lecherous old man, even though that was probably a very apt description of him at the moment. He was almost ashamed of himself.

"Hey, earth to Horvath. You alright?"

He blinked and looked up, realizing she'd been speaking to him.

"Hmm? Sorry, I was thinking."

"Very intently by the look of it," she said, shrugging on her jacket. "I asked if you wanted to grab a pizza for dinner. I don't feel like cooking tonight."

"Yes, of course," he said reflexively. She'd cooked dinner for the past three nights, turning out quite several delicious dishes. He'd been impressed and asked where she'd learn to cook. Tegan had just laughed and put the leftovers in the fridge without answering him. "Whatever you want is fine."

"Are you sure? You're paying after all."

Her smirk was positively impish. Horvath glared at her, then waved his hand in acquiescence, walking down from the platform after her and picking up his hat. He placed it carefully on his head.

"I don't mind paying for food. I think I'll accumulated enough money over the past millennia. Might as well start spending some of it."

"How old were you," she asked suddenly. "When you stopped aging, I mean," she added, seeing the confusion in his eyes. His expression instantly turned wary, and a little bit sheepish. He hesitated a moment before telling her.

"Forty-eight," he said softly. He was surprised when she let out a whoop of laughter. He looked at her sharply. She was smiling.

"Are you really worried about telling me that you're almost fifty when I know for a fact that you're over a thousand? Honestly? Ugh, that's such a man thing."

Horvath grimaced, feeling foolish again. Tegan just smiled and shook her head at him. She started to walk away.

"Why did you want to know?" he asked her. She turned around and started walking backwards, shrugging.

"I dunno. Just curious I suppose. It doesn't matter to me either way."

"Hmm. I see… what kind of pizza shall we get?"

"Olive and mushroom stuffed-crust," she immediately replied. He raised his eyebrows. She shrugged again.

"I know what I like. What do you want?"

He wasn't sure if that was a loaded question or not, so he just stuck to the food topic.

"I have no idea. I haven't had a pizza in over 50 years."

She stopped walking and put a hand on his chest, looking up at him with a look of utter horror on her face. He raised an eyebrow and looked down at her.

"What rock have you been living under that didn't have a pizza joint within a block of it?"

"Well, I was trapped in the Grimhold for 32 years, then I was stuck in that blasted urn for 10-"

"You know what, never mind. I don't even want to know. All I can do is feel sorry for you and find a Pizza Hut as soon as possible. C'mon, let's go before they close."

The hand that was on his chest grabbed hold of his jacket lapel and pulled him towards the door. His protests fell on deaf ears as he was dragged out into the night.


	9. Surprise!

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and mature content.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I'm having trouble deciding on Veronica's personality because she plays such a small part in the movie. If anyone has any suggestions on how I can improve her, please feel free to share them. Also, I realized that I'd accidentally been using the Merlinian Circle instead of the Morganian Pentacle, so I had to go back and change all references to it. If I missed any, please let me know.

* * *

"Dave, before we arrived in California, did you have any prior knowledge of the fact that there are in actuality _four_ different Pacific Avenues in the state?"

Dave winced at Balthazar's tone. The answer was yes, he had known, he'd simply neglected to mention this when they had set out earlier today. He told Balthazar as much and earned himself a stern glare. He decided to shut up.

Balthazar sighed and shared a glance with Veronica.

"Alright then. We could split up and each take a separate street, then comb the last one together, but-"

"How would we contact each other if one of us found it?" Veronica asked, cutting him off. He looked at her.

"I was just about to get to that, dear. Since we won't be able to contact each other, I think it would just be best to go all together. We can agree on a meeting place and arrange to convene there at a certain time. Two of us can head in different directions while the third goes around showing the pictures, just like we did in New Jersey. Does that sound good?"

Dave and Veronica nodded. Balthazar turned and looked down at the map in his hands.

"Alright. The closest one is three blocks that way." He pointed East. "Let's start there. Dave, Veronica and I will walk up and down the street while you show the picture around, alright?"

"Yeah, sure. That's fine," Dave said, nodding in agreement. Balthazar looked to Veronica, who also nodded. He clapped his hands together.

"Okay then, let's get started so we can go home."

* * *

Horvath's jaw literally dropped when Tegan stepped out of the bathroom.

She looked stunning.

She was looking down, adjusting her earrings, and so didn't see him marveling at her. Her shocking scarlet hair fell in loose waves about her shoulders, accented by a tiny strawberry-red bow that matched her dress. The mid-thigh-length mastery of scarlet fabric fit her perfectly, hugging every curve and accentuating all the right places. The U-neck cut showed enough cleavage to be sexy, but she certainly didn't look slutty. In fact, she almost resembled a strawberry with all the red. She was wearing a pair of black wire-framed eyeglasses that he had never seen before, which matched perfectly with her mid-calf-length leather boots, making her legs look miles long. The boots also went well with her black leather bomber jacket. It took Horvath a moment to compose himself, which he did just in time for her to look up and smile dazzlingly at him.

"How do I look?" she asked, spinning to give him a better view. He swallowed.

"Lovely," he managed to choke out. "May I inquire as to the occasion?"

She stopped spinning and grinned at him.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten."

His blank look told her he had. She laughed and flounced over to him, poking him in the chest.

"It's your birthday, silly! Ta daa!" She made a silly face and jazz hands. Horvath raised his eyebrow and realized she was right. It'd been so long since had anyone to celebrate it with that he'd forgotten about it. He snorted slightly to himself.

"And how exactly did you come by this information?" he asked her. She stopped dancing and shot him a goofy look.

"It's amazing what you can find out on Google," she said vaguely. He didn't know what that that was and didn't exactly want to. It didn't matter anyways, because she was now scurrying over to the door and grabbing his coat and hat. She shuffled back and held them out for him to take, which he did gingerly. He looked at her questioningly.

"I'm taking you out to dinner," she said. "I've already made non-refundable reservations, so you can't refuse. It was the nicest, cheapest restaurant I could book on short notice, but they have really good steak! You do like steak, don't you?" She looked at him hopefully with those damn sparkly eyes of hers.

"Of course I do. Tegan, you really didn't have to this. I've lived long enough without getting any older that birthdays have become meaningless to me."

"I know, I know, but it's the idea that counts, right? Pleeeeease? I haven't had steak in a really long time! Besides, birthday sex makes a really good dessert."

Horvath blinked, not sure if he'd heard her correctly.

"I'm sorry, did you just say-"

"Yes I did. Now let's go. The sooner we go, the sooner you can get back and undress me."

Horvath hesitated for only a moment before quickly shrugging on his jacket and setting his hat on gracefully on his head. He decided that would have to eat very fast indeed…

* * *

The 'fancy' restaurant Tegan managed to get reservations at was Black Angus. Not fancy at all by Horvath's standards, but he realized it might count as one for Tegan. They were seated under the name of Collins, much to Horvath's confusion. Tegan gave him a look that he took to mean 'don't ask.'

The seating attendant smiled at them and led them to a small booth near the back wall, setting a menu in front of each of them. Tegan sat across from him and shrugged off her jacket and smiled back at the woman. Horvath removed his hat and propped his walking stick against the seat next to him under the table, watching her unfold the menu and scan over the choices. After a moment, he did the same.

"Hmm, the crab legs sound good," she said, biting her lip. He looked around the menu and found what she was referring to. It certainly did sound good, if a bit much. He didn't honestly think she could eat a pound of King crab legs and two side dishes all by herself, but he didn't say anything. Personally, he was looking quite closely at the rib-eye and lobster combo. It'd been centuries since he'd had a good lobster tail. He decided he would order that, along with steamed broccoli and baked potato soup. It was his birthday, after all.

The waiter came back a few minutes later and asked what they'd like to drink. Horvath ordered a glass of Chardonnay to compliment the lobster. Tegan ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, which surprised Horvath and the waiter, who gave her a skeptical look.

"I'm sorry," he said carefully, "but may I please see your ID?"

Tegan looked at him for a moment, then pulled her jacket over and began rummaging around in the pockets. She pulled out her wallet and flipped it open, handing it to the man and smiling sweetly. He took it and inspected it carefully. He handed it back, smiling sheepishly.

"Thank you, ma'am. I'm sorry, but I had to ask."

She laughed.

"Don't worry about it. I get asked all the time." Her smile was positively stunning. Horvath suddenly felt the urge to smack the waiter in the head with his walking stick. He resisted. The waiter left.

"I thought you were too young to order drinks," Horvath commented quietly. Tegan grinned at him.

"I am. However, Marcie Collins is twenty-three years old and can therefore legally order whatever the hell she wants." She handed him her wallet. He glanced down at the ID. It was Tegan's picture and information alright, but the date of birth was wrong. He glanced over to see her smirking at him. He handed back the fake ID and folded up his menu. The waiter passed them again, leading another couple to a table somewhere behind theirs. Tegan's eyes widened.

"Shit!" she cursed quietly, sinking a little lower in her seat.

"What's wrong?" He asked, glancing discreetly behind him. The couple looked to be in their fifties. The man, who was grey-haired with a receding hairline, was sitting facing them. Horvath couldn't see the woman, but the two were obviously married. He looked back at Tegan, who was now hiding behind her menu.

"Who is that?"

"He's my old science teacher from high-school," she said, sounding panicked. Horvath understood why. Her teacher would probably know how old she was, and that she was about two years shy of the legal drinking age and might mention so to the waiter. That would be awkward.

"If he sees me he'll come over and try to talk to me, dammit. We were close in school. Shit, I should ask for a different table."

"It's fine," Horvath said, trying to sound reassuring. "He probably won't even recognize you from over there. You look ridiculous holding the menu like that, just so you know."

"Your tie is ugly."

Horvath was still spluttering when the waiter came back with their drinks and to take their orders. Horvath ordered first, asking for his steak to be cook medium-rare. Tegan ordered the crab legs with sides of French fires and macaroni and cheese. Horvath closed his eyes in exasperation, but didn't comment. He thought she was going to have an anxiety attack when the waiter took their menus.

As it turned out, her fears weren't unfounded.

"Tegan? Tegan Callahan? Is that you over there?"

Tegan paled visibly. She stuck her head out into the aisle slightly and feigned a convincing look of surprise. Horvath looked back to see the balding man grinning from ear to ear over at them.

"Mr. Larson?"

"I knew it was you!" the man said, then surprised Horvath by standing up and walking over. He instinctively reached for his cane.

Tegan stood up as well, and the two met in an awkward embrace. The man looked back at his wife.

"Honey, this is 'That Callahan Girl' I was always telling you about a few years ago. Tegan, this is my wife Caroline."

"It's nice to meet you," Caroline said. Tegan nodded and smiled back, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Horvath cleared his throat. Mr. Larson turned his attention to him.

"I'm sorry, Tegan, I seem to have interrupted in the middle of a lovely dinner. Is this your father?"

Horvath glared at the man, liking him less as every second passed. Tegan let out a snort of laughter, then quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. She took a moment to compose herself, then shook her head. Mr. Larson looked a little confused.

"No, Mr. Larson. This is Maxim Horvath. He's my sponsor and part-time lover." Horvath was surprised by the amount of dignity she managed to say that with. Mr. Larson's eyebrows shot up.

"Well then, excuse me. I didn't mean any offense, I just- Sponsor did you say? May I ask for what?"

They chatted for a few more minutes, Tegan making up an elaborate yet convincing story about Horvath sponsoring her studio and funding her art supplies. She explained about dropping out of college, to which Mr. Larson frowned but didn't comment. Apparently the man was here on his 32nd wedding anniversary, but Horvath thought he wasn't paying very much attention to his wife, who was staring back at them with mild interest and not-so-mild annoyance. Horvath smiled apologetically at her. She did not smile back.

Teacher and student parted ways when the waiter brought Tegan and Horvath's dinner. Tegan sat back down and sighed, looking hungrily at the massive plate of food sitting in front of her. Horvath stared at her for a long moment, but he got the feeling that she was purposefully avoiding his eyes. He let it go and started cutting his steak.

* * *

The bill came to total of $87.76, which Horvath paid with a hundred dollar bill. He left the change as a tip.

As soon as they left the restaurant, her offer popped back into his mind. He glanced sidelong at her, but she was already walking towards the bus stop. How she could walk in those heels he had no idea, but he hurried to catch up.

They were quiet on the bus ride home, partly because he couldn't think of anything to say and partly because the only other passenger was an ancient, shriveled woman knitting what appeared to be a scarf and who spent the entire trip staring intently at Horvath. He politely ignored her and made a mental note to bring up the subject of buying a car to Tegan.

They got off the bus and stepped quietly into the apartment lobby, the watchman snoozing dutifully. The elevator ride was silent and awkward.

Horvath wasn't quite sure what to do when they finally got inside. He took off his jacket and hung up his hat as usual, but then hesitated, not knowing what to do with himself. Tegan was by the couch with her back to him, unzipping and unbuckling the many straps and such on her jacket, which she then discarded on the floor and kicked off her boots. Horvath realized that she had been serious about it when she removed her earrings and hair bow, letting them fall carelessly atop her jacket. She turned back to face him and smirked.

"You have no idea how awkward you look right now," she said, walking towards him and stopping barely an inch away. She looked up at him, then stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. He did not respond. She pulled away after a moment a looked at him, then kissed again. This time, he kissed back.

Her fingers found the buttons of his shirt and began to undo them, one by one, painfully slow. Horvath placed a hand gently on her arm, reveling in the feeling of her creamy skin under his fingertips. She reached the end of the button trail and tugged his shirt free of his pants. She placed a hand on his chest and nearly growled in frustration, feeling undershirt instead of flesh under her fingers. He smirked against her mouth, sliding his left arm out off his shirtsleeve, then his right. He let the shirt fall to the floor behind him. She pulled away.

"Bed," was all she said. He couldn't have agreed more.

They fumbled and staggered their way towards the bedroom, Horvath losing his undershirt and tie in the process. When they were in the doorway Horvath slowly slid his hands down Tegan's sides and took hold of her dress, dragging the hem up and over her head. All she had on underneath was a pair of black lacy panties and a matching bra. While he worked on this, she focused on getting his pants undone and removed.

Somewhere in the back of Horvath's mind, a little voice was berating him for being a weak-willed, lecherous old pervert who was abusing every right and privilege that came with having an apprentice. He tried not to pay it any attention, but it was getting increasingly louder. He cursed to himself and pulled away. Tegan looked at him in confusion. He took a deep breath.

"I can't do this," he said. He wanted to punch himself. For a moment, Tegan looked like she wanted to punch him, too.

"Is this more 'I'm-too-old-for-you' bullshit?" she asked, surprising him with the venom in her voice. He chose his words carefully.

"No, this is more 'you're-my-apprentice-and-this-is-perverse-and-goes-against-everything-I-stand-for' bullshit. Dinner was lovely and all, and I appreciate the effort you put into it, but this isn't right."

Tegan sat down heavily on the bed and leaning back on her arms, looking up at him with her head titled slightly to the side. She was quiet for a moment.

"Your mouth says no," she said, then glanced down. "But your pants say yes. Who do I think I intend on listening to?"

"Tegan, I'm not joking about this-"

"Neither am I."

They glared stubbornly at each other for a good while, neither one willing to give in to the other. Tegan, however, being an attractive and mostly naked young woman, clearly had the advantage, which she milked for all it was worth. She reached up and pulled her bra straps down her arms, then removing the thing completely and tossed it across the room. Horvath's eyes lingered on her longingly. He swallowed, but didn't budge.

"Tegan, please," he managed to get out. "I can't-"

"Shut up and fuck me."

He thought about it for all of thirty seconds, then the last of his already feeble resolve crumbled into dust. He took off his shorts and walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She closed her eyes when he bent down to kiss her. He tasted good. She let him tip her back onto the bed. He was heavy on top of her.


	10. Working It All Out

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I don't know the name of the spell Horvath and Drake used to look like other people, so I'm just calling the morphing spell. If anyone knows the real name, please tell me. Reviews are much appreciated!

* * *

When Tegan awoke that morning, the sun was streaming brightly in through the gaps in her curtains. Horvath lay in the bed next to her, watching her.

The two stared at each other for a long moment. Tegan reached up and placed a hand on the junction between her neck and her shoulder. She winced.

"You bit me," she said, her voice dry and weak from overuse. Horvath smirked at her and glanced at his handiwork from last night. He rolled over slightly.

"You scratched me," he said simply, presenting his raw shoulders and back. Tegan grinned at him.

She'd almost gone back to the living room last night, but Horvath hadn't been as asleep as she'd thought.

"_Where are you going?" he'd asked softly, gently grabbing her wrist. _

"_Back to the air mattress," she'd told him, smirking slightly. She'd moved to get up again, but he tightened his grip._

"_I want to be close to you."_

_She'd stopped moving and looked at him in surprise._

"_And it is my birthday after all," he added, smirking deviously in the moonlight. She had raised an eyebrow and thought about it for a moment, then slowly lay back down, facing away from him. _

"_Fine," she said, pulling the sheet up. "But I want to _sleep_."_

_He'd responded by cautiously wrapping around her wait. When she didn't protest, he pulled her closer against him. They'd been asleep within minutes._

"Mm, what time is it?" Tegan asked blearily, rolling onto her stomach and propping herself up on her elbows. She peered over Horvath at the battered old alarm clock. It informed her that it was only 7:14. She buried her face into the pillow with a groan. Horvath laughed and kissed her shoulder, then rolled over and got up, prepared to get the day started. Tegan remained where she was.

* * *

"Dave?"

"Dave's in the shower," Balthazar informed a very startled Becky from the bedroom doorway. She screeched and pulled the covers around her tighter. Balthazar looked away.

"Sorry. Where does Dave keep his phone? I noticed he didn't have it with him with morning and he's going to need it."

"By- on the bedside table, but- Balthazar, what are you doing here? It's not even 7:30 yet!"

"And I apologized for waking you up. Dave is coming with us on a little… errand. I want to get an early start so we can get home sooner. Don't worry, it's not very dangerous," he said, seeing Becky's confused, slightly worried expression. "We'll have him back by lunch, I'm sure of it. Can you hand me that phone please?"

Becky sighed and reached over, fumbling for a moment before getting hold of it. She held it out for Balthazar, who quickly crossed over to her and took it. He nodded thanks then left, shutting the door softly behind him. Becky fell back into the pillows in exasperation. She made a mental note to have a word with Dave later.

* * *

"Well that was a massive waste of time."

"Yes, Dave, I'm aware of that. However, we had to be sure," Balthazar told him, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. The second Pacific Avenue had ended up to be the wrong one. There was a 7-11, but it was on the wrong side of the street and they couldn't get the view to line up with the one in the Encantis when they did a side-by-side comparison. It was the wrong place. Balthazar sighed again, looking both ways before crossing the busy street.

"Alright, let's go. I promised Becky I'd have you back in time for lunch. C'mon, hop to it!"

The two crossed the street and met up with Veronica on the other side. She shook her head when they asked if anyone had recognized the pictures.

"No one had ever seen them before. They said they would keep an eye out, but I doubt they will be seen here. I think we should just move on to Washington."

"You're probably right," Balthazar said, making a face. "But we need to be sure. She could be right down the street and we'd never know it. This would be so much easier if we had a name. And you're sure there hasn't been any new activity about her or Horvath in the Encantis?" he directed the question at Dave, who shook his head apologetically. Balthazar sighed again in frustration, then set off at a brisk pace in the direction of where they'd hidden the eagle. They'd done enough walking for the day and he was hungry. They'd be back tomorrow, hopefully with better luck.

* * *

"Is this her?"

Horvath glanced over at the page Tegan was studying. On it there was a painting of a woman in a long black dress, looking up with her hands raised skyward.

"Yes, that's Morgana," he said, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn bit of food debris on a plate. They were in the kitchen, he doing dishes and Tegan doing a more thorough examination of the Encantis. She'd found the picture of Balthazar and Veronica earlier, but had refrained from commenting.

"I sort of look like her," she said, tilting her head to the side and trying to match the woman's expression. Horvath snorted.

"You're much prettier," he told her, earning a crooked smile. She flipped the page again. It was the entry chronicling Horvath's encounter with Balthazar and the Prime Merlinian in Chinatown. There was another picture of a psychotic looking Chinese man at the bottom of the page who had apparently died when his dragon fell on him. Tegan examined the picture of the Prime Merlinian with mild interest.

It was a boy about her age, apparently screaming in terror like a little girl. She snorted and showed the picture to Horvath, making sure she was reading the caption correctly.

"This? This is said terrible beastie that I'm supposed to be fighting to the death? He looks like he'd shit himself at the sight of me."

"He probably would," Horvath said, smirking. "But that wouldn't stop him from being an adversary. Don't underestimate him. He's remarkably like Balthazar. Always up to his little tricks…"

The dish his was scrubbing snapped into two pieces. Horvath cursed and pulled them out of the dishwater, throwing them roughly into the garbage can. Tegan was looking at him, but didn't say anything. He ignored her and went back to scrubbing, more gently this time.

They each worked in respective silence for the next ten minutes.

"What's 'The Rising'?" Tegan asked suddenly. Horvath glanced over and saw what page she was on. He set down the fork he was cleaning and dried off his hands, coming to sit across from her at the table. He pointed at the picture.

"The Rising is the one spell that I have been training you for. It's purpose is to resurrect fallen sorcerers and it requires a tremendous amount of power and control. This is the spell Morgana was destroyed for trying to cast." Here her eyebrows raised skeptically. He continued. "One day, soon probably, you'll be casting something and that bracelet is going to fall off of your arm. That means you don't need it anymore. When that happens, you are ready to fulfill your purpose and- and go about living your life in peace."

He wasn't quite sure what had made him stutter, but she'd caught it. She looked up at him from the picture, her eyes filled with something he couldn't identify. He looked back to the page.

"The hardest part about the spell is finding the right location where we can work interrupted. I was lucky enough to find such a place in New York, but it would be far to dangerous to try going back there. We'll have to find someplace here, nearby."

"What are the requirements?" she asked, her grey eyes flicking over the page, taking in the details. He thought about it for a moment.

"Open space with a platform in the center for casting, and it has to have access to the open sky, so we can't use the warehouse. We need something to direct the energy to form the pentacle. I used satellite dishes three years ago and they worked perfectly… Until the Prime Merlinian's little girlfriend kicked one of them over, that is. We could probably just use mirrors if it came down to it. Do you know of anywhere like that, perhaps minus the mirrors? We could supply those ourselves."

Tegan thought about it for a moment, then her face lit up. She pounded her hand down on the table.

"The Lakewood Towne Center! It's perfect! And usually deserted after ten o' clock. There's a platform in the middle of the street in front of the Town Hall with some shrubs and stuff, but we can get rid of those easily. If we affix the mirrors up on the towers, then it should be all set. You're gonna have to teach me how to pronounce these words though."

She pointed to the strange, archaic symbols scribbling across the top of the page, then flitting down the sides and reconvening at the bottom. Horvath nodded in agreement. Judging by her occasional butchery of the English language, he suspected she was going to need quite a bit of help to recite something in Aramaic.

"Aright then," he said after a moment, standing up. "We'll arrange it for the next full moon, which I believe is in two weeks. We'll have to be prepared by then. I think we can manage. You're a quick learner, after all."

She looked up at him.

"Why does everything dramatic always have to happen on the full moon? I mean, c'mon, isn't that a bit clichéd?" she said, looking at him skeptically.

"Well it doesn't _have_ to be on the full moon. However, it is a very good time for casting. Plus, we can use the moonlight to our advantage."

Tegan nodded reluctantly, rolling her eyes. Horvath glared at her half-heartedly for a moment, then opened the refrigerator. He looked inside for a moment, then shut the door and turned back to Tegan.

"We're nearly out of groceries. I think it's about time we went shopping again. I'll get my hat."

Tegan stood up, shaking her head. Horvath headed towards the door.

"Oh, no," she said from behind him. He stopped and glanced back. She was leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, glaring at him. "I made a promise to myself that I would never go shopping with you ever again, not after that disastrous attempt when we first met. There is no way I'm going through again. If you want food, by all means, go shopping. But I remain here, alone, which will be a lovely change in and of itself."

Horvath glared at her, but realized that she had a valid point. They'd been constantly together for about a month now, with very few moments apart. It would be good for them to have some space. He nodded grudgingly and continued towards the door. He was reaching for his hat when a small plasma bolt shot out and hit his hand. He pulled it back and glared over at Tegan, who still hand her hands out from firing it.

"Just leave the hat. Please. If you're trying to be inconspicuous, then the hat completely ruins it. So does the pimp-cane, but that's important. But please… don't wear the hat."

* * *

Approximately one hour and twenty-three minutes after Horvath left the apartment- minus his hat -he returned. He closed the door behind him, a large paper bag of groceries in old hand and his walking stick in the other. He glanced into the living room, where Tegan was watching another crime drama. The back of her head was just visible over the back of the sofa. She was wearing his hat.

He walked over to the kitchen without commenting and began to unpack the bag of groceries.

"Hello, Maxim."

Horvath spun around, brandishing his walking stick. The tip glowed blue dangerously.

Balthazar Blake stood up from the sofa, looking at him solemnly. Horvath's face contorted hatefully.

"You. How did you get in here? Where is Tegan?" He raised his walking stick and pointed it at Balthazar. It hadn't been Tegan after all. He made a subconscious mental note to burn that hat when he got it back.

"Don't worry about her, she's safe. How've you been?"

"Don't play games with me, Balthazar. Tell me where she is or I'll blast a hole in you the size of Texas."

Balthazar smiled at him and took a step forward, still showing no signs of hostility. Horvath didn't trust him. He cautiously took a step back, keeping the head of his cane trained on Balthazar, who continued to approach him. He stopped a few inches away, quite a bit too close for comfort.

"You seem awfully concerned about her, Maxim."

"Where. Is. She?" Horvath bit out the words with as much malice as he could muster. Balthazar grinned at him.

"She's right here," he said with Tegan's voice.

Horvath watched with raised eyebrows as Balthazar morphed back into Tegan, who grinned impishly at him, his hat still perched on her head.

"So, what'd you think? Was it convincing?"

Horvath was silent for a long time, still staring at her. The grin slowly slid from her face, to be replaced by a look of concerned confusion.

"Maxim?"

"Don't ever do that again," he said softly. She looked taken aback. She stepped away from him slightly.

"Sorry, I was just trying to-"

"I was this close to killing him, Tegan!" Horvath hissed dangerously. Tegan swallowed and stepped back farther. He followed her, stepping forward towards her. He backed her up against the side of the couch, the back of her legs hitting the armrest. She stared at him, afraid of him for the first time. She flinched instinctively when he raised a hand, but all he did was brush a strand of scarlet hair delicately out of her face.

"I almost killed _you_…"

They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment. Tegan leaned forward suddenly, their lips meeting. When he didn't respond, she pulled away.

"But you didn't," she said simply. "And you have to admit, I did a pretty good job for my first morphing spell."

Horvath smiled slightly, still staring at her, his hand raised to her cheek.

"Yes, it was quite impressive. Just… Promise me you won't do that again. Not without some warning, at least."

She tilted her head into he hand and smiled sheepishly at him.

"I promise."


	11. Found

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and mild mature content.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I'm getting down to the good stuff now. Hopefully I won't seize up and be unable to finish it, but I think I'll manage. If I do, this will be the first fic I've written all the ay through from beginning to end. I'm very proud of myself.

* * *

"I don't think they're in California."

The look Balthazar gave Dave could have wilted flowers.

"Which means they're in Washington state, right?"

"Yes, Dave, it means they're in Washington. It also means we've wasted valuable time walking up and down streets and generally making fools out of ourselves. Now come on and get on the eagle. We have work to do."

* * *

Horvath stared in shock as Tegan staggered out of the bathroom, soaking wet and completely naked. She made a beeline for him, holding out her hand. He saw at once what had excited her.

The bracelet had come off. It now sat coiled in her palm instead of affixed to her forearm. She stared down at it with something akin to wonder, then looked up at him. A slow grin spread across her face, making her look slightly devilish.

"I guess we don't have to wait for full moon after all," she said, not seeming to care that she was naked and dripping water all over the floor. Horvath was having a hard time keeping his eyes on her face, but he managed.

"We should still wait until then," he said, staring intently into her excited eyes. "It will give us an exact deadline, time to practice, and it's good for dramatic effect. We have a week and a half left, then. What were you doing when it came off?" Horvath asked, gesturing to the bracelet. Tegan looked down at it.

"I was trying to unravel a knot in my hair," she told him. "I found the spell the other day and figured it might be useful sometime. Well, I did it and the thing just slithered off my arm and scared the crap out of me." She looked at Horvath. "Now what do I do with it?"

He smirked.

"Just keep it with you for now. Go get dried off and dressed and then we'll do some practice to see if you can still cast properly."

Tegan looked down as if realizing for the first time that she was naked. She blushed slightly and looked away, then nodded and hobbled off awkwardly into her bedroom. As she did so, Horvath couldn't but notice something.

"When on earth did you get that?" he asked. She turned and looked at him in confusion. He gestured to the tattoo of the Morganian Pentacle on the back of her left knee that certainly hadn't been there three days ago. He would have remembered. She grinned at him.

"I did it myself," she said proudly, stretching her leg out and back to show it off better. "There is a spell for _everything_!"

Horvath just sighed in resignation and waved her away towards the bedroom. She grinned and practically skipped away. He shook his head, still not quite sure about that girl.

* * *

Balthazar, Dave, and Veronica all stopped and stare at the same time.

There, right on the corner across the street, sat the 7-11 they'd been searching for for almost two weeks now. And there it was, smack on the middle of the intersection of Pacific Avenue and 148th Street in Parkland, Washington. Even from this incorrect angle, they knew this was it. The search was over.

Almost.

The bell tinkled overhead as they stepped inside, peering around curiously. It looked exactly like every other convenience store in the world. The cashier eyed them cautiously as they approached the counter. Balthazar smiled at him.

"Hello there. Sorry to bother you, but can you tell me if you recognize either of these people here?" He showed the print offs from the Encantis to the man, who looked at them for a moment. He nodded.

"I never seen the old guy before, but the girl comes in here a lot. Real pretty. Always polite. Why you asking about them?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't answer that question. Do you happen to know her name or where she might be staying?"

"I dunno where she lives, but she came in here with a guy a while back and he kept calling her, like, 'Teeca' I think. No, Tegan. Yeah, I think her name's Tegan. I remembered 'cause it was so different. Is she in trouble or something?"

"She's perfectly alright, I assure you. Thank you very much, you've been very helpful. Let's go."

Balthazar took the trouble to erase their conversation from the man's memory before leaving.

The intrepid trio headed outside and walked around to the back of the store. Balthazar pulled out a little notebook and pencil from inside his trench-coat and wrote down the name 'Tegan' on the top of a new page. He put the items away again and looked at his companions.

"Alright. We now have name for the face and a general location. This is very good. If we keep showing the picture around we may be able to get an address."

"Is that her?"

Balthazar and Veronica whirled around to see where Dave was pointing. There, striding up the street towards them with Horvath in tow, was Tegan, the Prime Morganian. They hadn't been spotted by them yet, so Balthazar and Veronica grabbed Dave and pulled him roughly behind the dumpster. As Horvath and Tegan strode past, they heard snatches of their conversation.

"…think you have enough tattoos already," Horvath was saying to her. "You don't need anymore."

"Oh please, I've had this talk with almost every non-tattooed person I've ever met. I you don't like them, fine, but don't lecture me about what I do to my body."

"I didn't say I didn't like them, I just said you have enough already. Imagine how you'll look when you're my age."

"I don't think I'm going to be one thousand plus, Maxim," she said, laughing slightly. All three people hiding behind the dumpster were surprised by her familiar use of Horvath's first name.

"You know what I mean. You really ought to think about…"

The two moved out of earshot around the corner of the 7-11. Balthazar moved cautiously out from behind the dumpster and motioned for the other's to follow. Horvath and the Prime Morganian were walking across the parking lot towards the sidewalk. Balthazar moved a little farther out and watched them go. He realized they were heading for the bus stop. He relayed this information to Dave and Veronica.

"We'll have to track that bus. There's no way we can get on it without Horvath recognizing us and it's very draining to hold a morphing spell for long periods of time. I'll put a tracer cloud on it and then we'll follow them. Does that sound good?"

They nodded at him. Balthazar turned back just in time to see the bus pull up and Horvath and Tegan get on it. He hastily cast a tracer cloud and watched the bus drive away. They all stepped out fully into the parking lot. Balthazar turned to Veronica and grinned cheesily.

"After you, milady."

* * *

As they walked into the warehouse, Horvath couldn't shake the strange feeling that they were being watched. He looked around him, peering into the shadows, but it was too dark now to really see anything. He decided he was just imagining things and followed Tegan inside. As soon as the door shut, Balthazar, Veronica, and Dave stepped out from behind the massive storage container they'd been hiding behind. They moved cautiously forward.

"Alright," said Horvath, discarding his coat and hat and striding to the far spire of the pentacle. "Show me what you're made of."

"I think you got a good enough look this afternoon," Tegan shot back, smirking and coming to stand across from him. Horvath raised an eyebrow at her and didn't comment. He got a better grip on his walking stick and moved into a defensive stance.

"I'm serious, Tegan. This is important. Pick an attack spell and do your worst. Ready?"

"Are you?"

Horvath cast a strong shield around himself, but didn't let his guard down just in case. Tegan took a deep breath and stood quite still for a moment, clearing her mind. Neither of them saw the three people peering in from the roof window above them.

Tegan swirled into motion, thrusting both hands forward sharply, palms facing out, right foot pointed back behind her. A wave of solidified air crashed into Horvath's shield, sending powerful shockwaves throughout it.

"Again!" Horvath shouted. Tegan complied, this time sending several dazzling bolts of electricity his way. Each one sent micro cracks spidering through Horvath's shield. He took up his cane and prepared to cast another shield.

"Again!"

Thorny tendrils erupted from the ground in front if his shield, stabbing viciously at it. The shield fractured a bit more. The vines died away into nothingness, and Tegan followed them up with a blast of fire worthy of a flamethrower. Only a fraction of the shield remained.

"Again!" Horvath barked, then immediately had to block a volley of plasma bolts, the first three of which shattered his shield completely. When the last one had fired, Tegan took a step back and smirked at him, panting slightly from the effort. Horvath grinned at her.

The people watching from the roof glanced at each other, all silently making the same observation: she wasn't wearing the bracelet anymore.

"Well done! Very well done!" Horvath said, striding forward. Tegan was grinning and looked at her hands excitedly.

"I did it!" she said, wiggling slightly. "I really did it! Whoo, I feel all trippy just thinking about it."

"You've made excellent progress," Horvath told her, stopping about 6 inches away from her. "And in record time. Before I met you I thought I'd have to hide you away and train you for years and years before you were ready. I'm glad that wasn't the case."

"Don't tell me you're sick of me already," Tegan said jokingly. Horvath smirked at her.

"No, not yet. It's borderline, though."

Tegan made a sound of outage and punched him on the arm. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her against him. All three sets of eyebrows watching from above shot up.

"Don't hit me," Horvath said, a dangerous glint in his charcoal eyes. Tegan's silver eyes reflected it.

"Don't insult me."

Horvath hesitated for a moment, then let go of her wrist. She stepped back slightly, but not by much.

"I was joking," he said defensively.

"I know," Tegan said, smiling slightly. "That's why I didn't slap you."

Horvath raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Tegan turned around and strutted off the platform. Horvath watched her go, appreciating the view. He knew she was doing it on purpose.

"Stop staring at my ass, Maxim," she said over her shoulder, not looking at him. He smirked.

"I'm offended, Tegan, and I have no idea what you are talking about."

She snorted derisively and picked up his hat, setting it atop her own head. Balthazar was surprised when Horvath didn't blast her to smithereens for just touching it. He never had known how to share.

Tegan proceeded to lean provocatively over the desk, shuffling through some random papers. Horvath was mildly surprised by her sultry behavior, but he wasn't complaining. He walked slowly down from the platform, coming to stand close behind her. He leaned forward, placing his hands on either side of her on the desk. She stopped shuffling papers and back up against him, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Is that your cane or are you just happy to see me?" she asked. In response, Horvath nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck, eliciting a moan from her lips. Balthazar and Veronica watched, scandalized, from the roof. Dave looked like he was going to be sick.

Tegan turned around to face Horvath, pressing against him and smirking as his mouth dropped open slightly. She was leaning forward to kiss him when Dave's foot slipped and kicked a shingle loose.

Horvath was instantly on the alert. He spun around wildly, looking up at the ceiling. Veronica pulled Dave and Balthazar down the second before Horvath's eyes alighted on the spot where they'd been. He grabbed his walking stick and stared intently at a slightly open window in the roof. He was sure he'd seen something.

He jumped as Tegan laid a hand on his shoulder, turning to look at her.

"You alright?" she asked, concern plain in her eyes. He stared at her a moment, then raised his eyes to the ceiling again.

"We should go," he said, still glancing up. "Now. Come on."

"What are you-"

"Just go." he took hold of her arm and began leading her towards the door. "Keep your guard up. Walk."

He flicked the lights off and slammed the door, securing the padlock and casting an extra-strength ward on it as a precaution. He glanced back at the roof as they walked back to the bus stop, but didn't see anything unusual. That didn't ease his mind. As soon as he and Tegan disappeared around the corner, Balthazar, Dave and Veronica stepped out from behind the warehouse, following carefully.

* * *

Even when they were back at the apartment, Horvath couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness. He realized that there was a high probability that it had just been a pigeon landing on the roof, but he didn't want to act as if that was the only option and end up murdered in his sleep. One thought kept nagging in the back of his mind.

_They've found us._

Tegan, who was still wearing his hat, was becoming fidgety too, just from watching him. He kept going over to the window and glancing out, then tugging the curtains shut and pacing for five minutes before doing it again. He'd forgotten his jacket at the warehouse in his haste to get away, but that didn't concern him now.

He was trying to think like Balthazar, which was easier said than done. The man was infuriatingly random, yet predictable. He wouldn't just barge in and attack them as Horvath would have. Balthazar would have plan, or some semblance of one, then improvise if something went wrong. And the Prime Merlinian was probably with him, which complicated things further.

"Stop pacing!" Tegan half shouted, startling him out of his thoughts. He stopped and looked at her.

She was sitting on the couch with her arms crossed, glaring at him. He realized in that moment that he'd never actually seen her angry before this. She was certainly mad now, there was no denying that, though he couldn't fathom why. If anything she should be worried. Even more puzzling was why she was mad at _him_.

"What the hell is going on, Horvath?" she asked him. He registered the use of his surname and decided to play it safe. He took a deep breath.

"I think they've found us," he said. "'They' being Balthazar and the Prime Merlinian. I had the feeling that we were being watched from when we first got to the warehouse, then the noise spooked me. I may be acting irrationally, but this is serious. I think you were right. We may not have time to wait for the full moon after all."

"What happens if they come for us?" she asked, standing up. Horvath thought about it for a moment.

"Then we dispose of them," he said finally. "We cannot be stopped, not when we're so close. I cannot impress upon you the importance of this," he told her, walking forward and gently grabbing her shoulders. She looked up at him with those wide, cautious eyes and he felt a small ache in his chest. It suddenly hit him for the first time that Tegan might actually be harmed, or even die. He grabbed her shoulders a little more tightly and leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. She looked at him in confusion, slightly cross-eyed.

"If it comes down to a fight," he began softly, his eyes closed, "and something happens to me, I want you to promise me that you will get yourself out. No, let me finish," he said, because she'd opened her mouth to protest. "Your life is more important than mine. You are the Prime Morganian. Besides, if you complete your purpose and successfully cast The Rising then I'll just be resurrected anyways. But I need you to promise to get yourself away from the fighting if anything happens to me. Can you do that?"

"But-"

"Promise me."

She looked at him intently for a moment, then dropped her eyes.

"I promise," she said quietly, then squealed as Horvath pulled her into a deep kiss. She seized up at first, then slowly went limp, snaking her arms around his neck. The two sank onto the couch.

Across the way, from the roof of the auction house, Balthazar lowered his binoculars and looked over at his companions. Veronica was staring at the small window with an odd look on her face. Dave was picking at his fingernails. Balthazar sighed deeply and looked down.

Horvath had broken the sacred trust between Master and Apprentice. He was currently breaking it again on that sofa, but Balthazar tried not to think about that. By default, he should have been instantly robbed of his powers and exiled. But he hadn't. He obviously was still able to use magic and he clearly wasn't off in a desert somewhere. Balthazar couldn't understand it.

He looked up at the night sky.

Something wasn't right…


	12. Realizations

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: I'm beginning to wrap it all up. I've already plotted out the ending in my head, it's just a matter of writing chapters to get there.

* * *

After having shopped for all of 18 minutes, Tegan and Horvath were now in possession of 11 brand new sparkly wall mirrors, each of which were 12X14 inches. The cashier made a clever remark at the checkout desk which both of them politely ignored. They glanced around, paranoid, on their way out of store.

However, they both missed the homeless man with the binoculars on the other side of the parking lot.

'_What are they doing?'_ Balthazar thought to himself, letting the binoculars fall and hang from their leather cord around his neck. He watched them as they hopped on the bus, bags in tow, and rode away towards an unknown location. He was so lost in thought that he forgot to cast a tracer cloud. He cursed and got up from his perch, deciding he'd have to follow them more closely tomorrow.

He couldn't help but think about what he'd seen last night.

As soon as the trust was violated, Horvath should have been robbed of his magic and sent to some godforsaken place to reside for the rest of his days. Though, judging from their familiarity with each other, Balthazar was willing to bet that last night wasn't the first time they'd been together. There was a flaw in the system. Something was wrong. And Balthazar wanted to know what.

He climbed back up to the roof of Home Depot where his eagle was waiting patiently. He hopped on and took off, flying back towards the hotel they'd rented the night before where Veronica and Dave were waiting.

It was earlier determined that Balthazar should have spy duty. While true that he stood out a bit more than Dave would, Dave was awkward and clumsy and a terrible actor and would most likely blow his cover and die. Veronica was out of the question because Horvath would spot her from a mile away. Thus leaving Balthazar to do the field work. Veronica's job was planning, and Dave was in charge of gathering outside intelligence.

He was actually a very valuable researcher, what with his computer machine and all.

* * *

The Lakewood Towne Center was bustling with people, as usual. The parking lots were packed, the sounds of carts being pushed and groceries being unloaded filled the air. Children threw tantrums in the lot, parents shouted and smoked and laughed too loud, and people wore spandex who should really not be wearing spandex. All in all, it was just like every other shopping center in America.

Horvath was not impressed.

If he were Morgana and had been trapped in a doll for a millennium, then freed for all of ten minutes before being blasted into oblivion, he would not want to be resurrected and find himself in this place. However, he had to admit that it was quite a handy location.

They decided to set up in front of the Town Hall. There was a large dais in the middle of the street with several variations of foliage growing on it, but that could easily be removed. The high trees and buildings around this area would be perfect for adjusting and setting up the mirrors, and dais in the center was the perfect place to cast a pentacle and perform The Rising. Tegan had done a remarkable, time-saving job by finding this place.

"We'll put the mirrors there, there, and there," he said, using his walking stick to point to the tops of two trees and a streetlight. "The satellite dish atop that building should suffice." He gestured vaguely at the Town Hall roof. "We can put the other mirrors around the dais here, to direct the flow of magic in the right places." Tegan nodded in agreement. She trusted that Horvath knew what he was doing and could see his logic.

She only had a vague idea of the actual spell, cast correctly, was supposed to look like. She understood something about magical energy and having to direct it, but not where she had to direct it or why or into what shape. She made a point to ask Horvath about it when they got home.

She suddenly felt a small pang of guilt.

Chris had tried to call her 27 times in the last two days, but she hadn't picked up once. She didn't know what to say to him. Plus the first few times he'd called she'd been in the shower, then the next few times the phone rang Horvath had been in the shower with her, so having a conversation was out of the question. She realized now, though, that when all this was over she may never see Chris again. He would probably be dead, and she planned to be off far away in some remote location, staying out of Morgana's way and just living her life. She wanted to say goodbye.

"Would it be alright if I invited some people over tonight?" Tegan asked casually once they were back home. Horvath glanced over at her from watching the news.

"What for?"

"Well," she said, turning to face him and leaning back against the kitchen counter, "I'll probably never see them again after tomorrow night, so I just wanted to say goodbye. Ya know, leave on a positive note and all that. If it's alright with you. We could probably just meet at Maggie's if-"

"No, that's fine," Horvath said, nodding understandingly. "By all means, bring them here. I'll go out for a few hours and-"

"No, I want you here."

He looked at her, eyebrow raised. She quickly continued.

"Well, I was thinking no matter whether we resurrect Morgana or blow ourselves up in the process, I'm not going to be here. And if we end up failing and it doesn't work, I don't want them to worry or come looking for me, so I came up with a story to tell them." She stopped and took a deep breath. Horvath turned towards her slightly, giving her a look that plainly said 'go on.' She did.

"I as planning on telling them that you're a filthy rich aristocrat who loves my artwork and wants me to move to England and work privately for you," she said, so fast that Horvath almost didn't catch it. When his brain finished processing what she'd said, he slowly leaned back into the couch, smirking slightly.

"And do you really think they're likely to believe that?" he asked her skeptically. She bit her lip.

"Probably not, but even if they don't, they'll realize that I'm trying to tell them that I'm going away and probably won't be coming back. It's also a good cover in case Chris recognizes you as the creepy guy from the bar." She grinned at him as he glared at her. He thought that her friends would have to be pretty thick to fall for that story, but he certainly understood her reasons for wanting to it to tell them. She wanted closure.

He realized how fragile Tegan looked just then, biting her lips with her arms folded feebly. She was hunched over slightly, her hair falling into her eyes and partially obscuring her face. He'd never seen her look her so insecure.

"They're all going to die, aren't they?"

He looked up sharply at her question. She was staring at the floor, not looking at him. He got up and slowly walked over to her, stopping a few inches in front of her and placing his hands on her arms. Almost as soon as he touched her the tears began to flow.

She let out a strangled sob and crumbled into his arms. He held her close and gently stroked her hair, but didn't have any idea what to say. She was right. They all _would_ be dead if they succeeded. Everything she'd ever known would cease to exist, as suddenly as a candle being blown out. She would be all alone in the world, probably for the first time.

Horvath knew all about being alone. It was how he'd spent the last thousand years of his half-life. The anti-aging spell that Merlin had placed on all of them either hadn't kicked in yet, or they all just simply picked up where they left off. He supposed that would mean he was 52 now. He didn't feel any different. Maybe a little more tired than usual, but that was to be expected from all the 'activity' they'd been doing. It then struck him, not for the first time, that she was still only 19, and he'd placed an enormous amount of responsibility on her thin shoulders. He felt a pang of guilt about that.

"Invite as many friends as you want," he told her softly. "I'll be right here, sitting patiently as they glare and yell at me, probably calling me a volley of rude names and demanding to know why I'm stealing you away from them."

Tegan let out a watery chuckle and buried her face further into his shoulder. They stood like that for quite a while, before she eventually pulled away. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing her makeup and making herself look like a homicidal clown. She laughed when Horvath told her this.

"Yeah, but I'm a sexy clown," she retorted, grinning slightly. Horvath sighed in exasperation.

"Why are you always so horny?" he asked, making her laugh manically.

"Because I'm a crazy teenager, it's expected of me. Now come on or I'll never get to sleep."

Horvath moved sluggishly as she began to drag him towards the bedroom.

"I'm getting too old for this," he mumbled. She either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him.

* * *

"I think they're going to do it soon," Balthazar said, laying out the pictures he'd taken of Horvath and Tegan leaving Home Depot earlier that day. "I can't make out what's in the bags, but I'll bet they will be using it in The Rising. Have you found out where they're going to do it?"

"I thought that's what you were doing?" Dave said, sounding confused. Balthazar looked up at him from across the table.

"I was. Then I lost them when they changed busses. What have you found out today, Dave?"

"I found her last name, birthday, high school, previous employment, and that she's a college dropout. As well as a bunch of other useless personal information that we didn't have 4 hours ago. And Veronica's mapped out and circled 5 possible locations for The Rising to take place," Dave said, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed in self-satisfaction. Balthazar stared at him for along moment, then turned his gaze to Veronica. His gaze softened slightly.

"Where do think they'll do it?" he asked her. She sighed and pushed his pathetic pictures aside, revealing a large map of Western Washington. Five areas stood out, circled in bright red marker. Three of these were circled repeatedly. She pointed to the first location, which was one of the repeatedly circled areas.

"Clover Park Stadium," she said. "It's big and open and easy to sneak in to, so I have it as one of the main suspects. The Lakewood Towne Center," she said, pointing to another of the brightly circled places. "There are a few places they could do it in the area. The buildings are high enough and the Town Hall has a satellite dish on top of it. The other option is in the middle of the intersection near her apartment, the one with the convenience store on the corner. It would be inconvenient and high profile because of all the traffic, but if Horvath wants to do it there he could easily put a stop to the interferences. It's an ideal location."

Balthazar nodded, studying the map. Veronica had chosen the exact locations he would have, which means one of them was the one that Horvath picked. It was just a process of elimination.

* * *

Tegan's friends started arriving at eight thirty.

The first was Chris, the large black man Horvath had seen her with that first night at the bar. He was accompanied by a slight Hispanic man who obviously did not want to be there. Chris reacted as Tegan predicted when he caught sight of Horvath, recognizing him and demanding to know who he was and why he was there. Tegan told him she would explain when everyone got there and left it at that. Chris sat down and fumed, glaring suspiciously at Horvath.

The next to arrive was a mousy young woman with enormous glasses and a slightly frazzled look about her. Tegan greeted her as Lea and told her the same thing she said to Chris on the subject of Horvath.

The last of the guests arrived at quarter to eight. A heavy set blonde girl with outlandish eye makeup and a lot of piercing named Kylie and a gangly ginger haired man named Erik who hugged Tegan for a little longer than necessary. Horvath's eyes narrowed unconsciously, which did not go unnoticed by Chris. Tegan sat everybody down in the living room, having moved the chairs from the kitchen, and served drinks. There were cheers and praises and many foul words uttered. Horvath felt very out of place among the rag-tag group of social outcasts and so sat silently. He nodded thanks to Tegan, their fingers brushing slightly when she handed him his drink. She kept the bottle for herself and told everyone to drink slowly. There were boos.

For the first half an hour they all just chatted and caught up with each other's business. Tegan sat on the arm of the couch next to Erik the lanky ginger, who kept trying to stealthily sneak his arm around her waist. She foiled his plans every time. Horvath gripped his walking stick tighter.

Eventually, Tegan cleared her throat and announced that she had something to tell them. They all shut up and paid attention to her as she stood up and came to stand next to Horvath, laying a hand on his shoulder.

She explained the story she'd prepared flawlessly. Her acting was impeccable and she had them applauding by the end of it. Chris's attitude towards Horvath made a 180 degree turn.

Of course there were more questions, such as when she was coming back and where exactly she was staying. Her answers were vague, yet convincing. She alluded to somewhere by the coast, but gave no names or area descriptions. Horvath was impressed.

The friends stayed for an hour longer, then slowly began to stagger out into the night, only half of them likely to end up in their own beds. Erik left last, giving a Tegan a very long, very inebriated hug and a kiss on the cheek. It was clearly meant to be on the lips, but Tegan turned her head at the last moment, laughing and shoving him out the door, closing it in his bewildered face. Grinning, she turned back to Horvath, who was not grinning.

"That Erik boy certainly seemed as though he'd miss you," Horvath commented, absently polishing the blue stone at the head of his cane with his sleeve. Tegan leaned back against the door and crossed her arms, smirking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"He's a good friend, yeah," she said, watching him.

"Oh, just a friend? Well, you two must be close then."

"We've fucked a few time, yeah."

Horvath looked at her sharply, then glanced away.

"Recently?"

Tegan pushed off the door and slowly walked over to Horvath, stopping front of him. He was still sitting down, now fiddling with the cuff of his shirt.

"Would you be jealous if I said yes?" she asked quietly. She watched with mild amusement as the hand he was using to pick off imaginary lint spasmed before closing into a tight fist.

"Don't be absurd," he said, his voice carefully controlled. Tegan didn't believe it for a moment. She reached out and placed a finger under his chin, forcing him to look at her. She leaned forward and kissed him, then pulled away and stared at him.

"Don't be. The only person I've slept with in the past six months is you, making this a slow year for me. So have no fear about me sneaking off in the night to hook up with random guys. I learned my lesson about leaving and not telling you…"

She was referring to the night she'd been attacked when she snuck out to buy cigarettes. Horvath's brow furrowed slightly, but he said nothing. He remembered vividly the horror he'd felt when he'd discovered her leaning over the toilet, her face bruised and bloody, coughing up blood. He swallowed reflexively. Her eyes softened.

She took a step back from him and cocked her head to the side, regarding him.

"I'm going to bed," she told him. "Come in within in the next half an hour or I'll be asleep."

He looked up at her as she walked away, tugging her tee shirt over head in the process. He caught it spastically when she tossed it back at him. She was braless. He joined her in considerably less time than half an hour.


	13. Preparations

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: Sorry about the massive amounts of pre-smut lately, it's just an easy end to a chapter. Winding down, getting to the finish, finally. Maybe then I can get on with my life XD

* * *

"That's the last one," Tegan said, wiping the tree sap on her hands off onto her pants. Horvath looked over at her, then glanced up at where the final mirror had just been placed. He closed the Encantis with a snap.

They were both morphed. Her into a small Asian woman and he into a middle aged white man. It was a precaution against being spied on by Balthazar and the Prime Merlinian. So far, it was working splendidly.

"Good," Horvath said, tucking the miniaturized Encantis into his coat pocket. "Let's get home before someone gets suspicious."

Tegan nodded in agreement and let her disguise melt away. She smiled at a little boy who just happened to be watching at time and walked back over to Horvath, who was also himself again. The little boy looked like he was going to pee himself.

* * *

Balthazar cursed to himself.

He'd lost them again. All they'd done was round a corner, out of his sight for maybe 10 seconds, and then they were gone. They probably morphed, but into who he had no idea. They could've been anyone, and he wasn't going to risk his cover by going up and asking random people. So he'd given up and waited for them to come back home.

Three hours later, just when he was ready to go back to the hotel, his waiting paid off.

He dived behind a bush just as they rounded the corner. He thought they looked entirely too pleased with themselves. He cursed again. They'd probably set up the location for The Rising. He'd have to watch them closer tomorrow.

They crossed the street and went into the apartment. He hurried over to the auction house and climbed up to the roof, just in time to see them coming through their door. He hunched down and raised his binoculars. Luckily for him, the curtains were open.

Tegan was saying something, but he couldn't read her lips from this distance. Whatever it was it made Horvath laugh, which is generally a bad sign. Balthazar raised an eyebrow when Horvath playfully threw a piece of laundry at her. The other eyebrow joined it's partner as Tegan grabbed a pillow and thwacked Horvath in the back of the head with it. Thankfully, Horvath hadn't joined her in a pillow fight. That would have been a little too much for Balthazar to bear. Instead he flicked his walking stick at Tegan, sending her flying sideways onto the sofa, apparently laughing hysterically.

Horvath was obviously in a good mood, the likes of which Balthazar hadn't witnessed since before that fateful night so many centuries ago. He lowered his binoculars, remembering.

He and Veronica had been away on a small quest by Merlin's orders, sent to collect a rare herb from a merchant with a nasty reputation for luring his customers to their deaths and then selling their organs to Morganians for their darkest spells. Horvath had remained behind.

Horvath had been oddly quiet at breakfast, barely touching his food. Balthazar hadn't thought anything of it until later, but he was anything but his usual snarky self. He didn't learn until much later, on the day when he'd managed to trap Horvath in the Grimhold, that Horvath had seen him with Veronica the night before the betrayal. That explained everything.

When he and Veronica had returned from their quest, they'd found the castle in ruins. Bodies littered the courtyard and stairwells, burned and bloodied and beaten to a pulp. Several of them had been run through or slashed with a sword. That's when they knew Horvath had betrayed them. He was the only one they knew of who possessed such skill with a blade to carve the guards up the way he had. They'd rushed inside, but had been too late. Merlin lay dying and Horvath was gone, possibly seconds before they walked in. Morgana remained, however, and would have finished Balthazar if not for Veronica's sacrifice. The hardest thing Balthazar had ever done was lock her in the Grimhold.

Balthazar shook himself and brought himself back to the present. He raised the binoculars again and peered into the window.

* * *

"What time should we do it?" Tegan asked, flopped sideways on the sofa where Horvath had thrown her. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Are we scheduling it now?" he snarked. Tegan made a face at him.

"I meant The Rising, you pervy old man. Gosh."

"Of course. What did you think I was talking about?" he asked, giving her a look of faux innocence. She glared at him, propping her feet up on the arm of the couch.

"Oh hush. Now seriously, we need to plan this all out so there's no room for error. And I think we might need some backup."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, considering what happened the last time you tried to take on Balthazar and the Primer Merlinian by yourself, don't you think it would be wise to have a little help in case they show up?"

Horvath thought about it and realized she was right. If the boy and Balthazar showed up, he'd be fighting them on his own, which was not an altogether enjoyable prospect. Tegan would be busy casting and unable to help him if he got in a bind, leaving her unprotected. He nodded.

"And where do you suppose we find these reinforcements? Craigslist?"

She gave him a dirty look.

"Don't be absurd," she said, mimicking him from the night before. "We'll ask around. How did you find Drake and the others?"

Horvath looked at her strangely.

"How do you know about that?"

"It's in the Encantis, in the history section. Along with every other minor occurrence having to do with magic."

"Oh," was all he said. He walked over to the other side of the sofa and sat down on the arm not occupied by Tegan's feet. "I found Drake Stone by asking a friend of a friend, whom last I heard died in a mugging. Drake was the only Morganian he knew of that was advanced enough to help me with what I needed. I released Abigail Williams from the Grimhold, so finding her wasn't altogether difficult. We could have used Sun-Lok if he hadn't been crushed by his own dragon…"

Horvath looked thoughtful for a moment. Tegan sighed.

"Alright, so it looks like we'll just have to go out and find someone on our own, unless you can think of a better plan."

"Actually I can," Horvath said, standing suddenly. He walked over to the Encantis on the kitchen counter and began frantically flipping through it. Tegan propped herself up on her elbows and watched him. After a few moments he found what he was looking for.

"Here it is. Self-Sustaining Bubble Shield. If we can cast one large enough around the dais, and smaller ones around the mirrors, we should be able to stop any interference."

He looked up at Tegan excitedly. She got up and came to stand next to him, reading over the details on the yellowed page.

"This looks like it would a large amount of energy to perform on the scale you're talking about. Do you think we could pull it off without draining ourselves?" she asked, turning her head towards him yet still looking at the page.

"You're right about the energy drain, but you don't have to worry about that. I can manage on my own. You're going to need all the energy you have for the Rising," he told her. "Do you need any more help with the pronunciation?"

"Nah, I think I've got it down. Besides, it's mostly just a bunch of repetition anyways. It wasn't that hard to learn once I knew how to pronounce each symbol. I'll definitely be ready."

"Good. And as for time, I think we should do it at midnight."

She looked at him quizzically.

"It's the time when the place would be most deserted," he continued. "I know it's clichéd, but it's also when the Moon will be highest in the sky, which will give us an extra power boost. Even if Balthazar showed up with his own private army, we'd be able to hold them off at least until The Rising was completed. Yes, if we can do this correctly, then everything will have been worth it."

Tegan gave him a strange look, but didn't say anything.

* * *

Balthazar began snapping pictures as soon as Horvath rushed to the Encantis.

They'd found something, something important by the looks of it. He couldn't see the book for the window ledge, and he couldn't read their lips because of the curtains. He was probably just wasting film, but it might turn out to be important in the long run. Tegan gave Horvath a series of strange looks, all of which he captured on film. The more he watched the girl, the more he understood why Horvath would be attracted to her.

She was feisty and spunky and not afraid to stand up for herself to a degree that almost reminded him of Veronica. She was also very pretty, with intense grey eyes and an edgy set to her heart-shaped face. Her choppy red hair and numerous tattoos made her look rather Devil-may-care, which in turn made her look older than she was. The way she carried herself held a certain grace that was only visible if one looked close enough. All in all, she was quite visually pleasing.

Balthazar adjusted the lens and zoomed in as she turned towards Horvath, shooting him an alluring half-grin. The camera clicked, freezing the image in time.

* * *

As Dave examined the pictures Balthazar had taken earlier that day, he noticed a pattern.

The shutter had clicked infrequently, from time to time catching an image of either Tegan or Horvath crossing in front of the window, but then it suddenly started clicking so quickly that the images appeared to be a movie.

Horvath was flipping through the Encantis, looking for something. When he found it he looked over at Tegan, who then came to stand next to him. They talked for a while, occasionally glancing down or gesturing to the page they were looking at. Dave had just been flicking through, his thumb pressing the scroll button automatically, but he came to one picture that made him pause.

It was a close up, zoomed-in shot of Tegan's face. There was no purpose to it as near as he could tell, it was just a picture of her smiling, apparently at Horvath. Dave stared at the photo for a moment in confusion, then looked over to where Balthazar and Veronica were sitting on the couch, going over the maps for the thousandth time.

He made a face and kept scrolling.

* * *

The air mattress had gone unused for a week and a half now, just laying sadly in the living room. Tegan was too lazy to deflate it, but also wanted it there as a precaution should Horvath decide he wanted to sleep alone.

She realized how foolish that reason was, but still left it there regardless.

She looked at the sleeping man beside her with mild interest. It had been nearly two months since she confronted him outside the bar, turning her life completely upside down, and she sometimes felt she didn't know him any better now than she did then. He'd lived for a thousand plus years, seen things firsthand that were now in ancient history textbooks, fought in wars from which the dead were only now being recovered. He'd watched future turn into history, and yet here he was, in her bed of all places. This was the man she'd read about and admired as a child and used to doodle picture of in class, along with Merlin's other apprentices. She was ridiculed for being strange and told to stop living in a fantasy world, but all her life she could never shake the feeling that it was all real. Now she had proof. She could never tell anyone, of course, but at least she knew she wasn't crazy. That was enough.

She smiled slightly to herself, thoughtfully. The clock read 2:07 am. She stifled a yawn and rolled over, scooting towards Horvath and away from the edge of the bed. She smiled wider as he sleepily wrapped a strong arm around her waist and pulled her close against him. She closed her eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.


	14. The Rising

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: The character's back-stories are total figments of my imagination. I have done no research whatsoever and I don't care. If you know what really happened, that's great, and you can substitute it in place of my gibberish. Review please!

* * *

"Angle it a bit to the left. More… more… There! Perfect. Is that all of them?"

Tegan straightened up, flipping her hair out of her eyes with a spastic jerk of the head. She raised a hand to her eyes against the glare of the sun, looking over at Horvath around the dais.

"If you say 'to the left' one more time I'm gonna have to start dancing here," she said in mock irritation. She almost laughed at Horvath's confused expression, then remembered he was still in the Grimhold when that song came out. She settled for a smirk and walked over to him.

"The mirrors are all in place and angled to correctly direct the energy flow," she reported to him, earning a raised eyebrow. He closed the Encantis with a snap and folded it up.

"Very good. We'll return at eleven thirty and set up the Bubble Shields, then get on with The Rising. Any objections?"

"Would you care if I did?" Tegan asked, grinning slightly. Horvath glanced at her.

"No, but it's always polite to ask," he said snarkily. Tegan made a snotty face at him, which he ignored. He glanced around the area they were working in for any signs of Balthazar or the Prime Merlinian, just as he'd been doing like clockwork every five minutes. He didn't spot anything.

"Come on down," he told Tegan, who still standing on the dais. He offered his hand, which she brushed away in favor of hopping down by herself. She smiled dazzlingly at him, then started walking towards the bus stop. Horvath followed, exasperated.

* * *

It was around the same damn corner as yesterday that Balthazar lost them.

They were there, and then they weren't. It was maddening. It was even worse when they walked back around the corner on their way home from where ever they'd been, looking even more pleased with themselves than the day before. Balthazar took pictures at a furious rate, trying to see if their outfits gave any hint as to their locations.

They were going to do it soon, he was sure of that. They'd been leaving the apartment at exactly 12:14 for the past three days in a row, taking the bus to Lakewood, then walking around the corner of a Verizon store and dropping off the face of the earth. There were always people coming and going from that spot, and they managed to get lost in the crowd by morphing. It made Balthazar want to tear out his hair.

Veronica could tell he was in a bad mood when he stormed back into the hotel room, slamming the door behind him and throwing down his satchel on the bed. He sat down roughly on the loveseat and sat brooding. She let him be. Even after a thousand years separation, she could still read his moods. This one practically screamed 'do not touch.'

Veronica was having some trouble adjusting to modern times. All the technology made her head spin, and she certainly didn't approve of most of the clothing. The language was confusing, as well. Dave had explained to her all about slang and swearing, which she found mind boggling. In her times, such things would never have been used in mixed company, much less coming from the mouths of children. The year before when Becky had turned on the radio, Veronica had been startled by the violent, crass song that came on. Dave had turned it off, much to her relief, when he noticed her scandalized expression.

It was tough adjusting, but she was a strong woman who had lived through much worse than this. Another thing that was hard to get used to was hiding her magic. A thousand years ago, magic was something to be celebrated and revered, not hidden away and shamed. She was certain Merlin must be rolling in his grave.

She sighed and looked back to the maps she had spread out on the small table, trying to think like Horvath, which was much easier said than done. The man had always been an enigma to her, even though they'd known each other for years. He had the ability to make his face an expressionless mask, which in turn made his eyes into dark, unreadable pits. She felt a small twang of guilt. All of this was because of her, because she had to choose.

She'd known Horvath since they were both children, recruited by Merlin to be his apprentices. He was the son of a Blacksmith, a few years older than her, and had skill with a sword that even King Arthur had praised. He was a quiet and solemn young man, always incredibly eager to learn. He wasn't the most attractive of boys, and Veronica got the distinct impression that he had been picked on for his weight at home, driving him to take up sword fighting as a sort of coping mechanism. He was the first of Merlin's recruits.

Veronica was the second. Being the daughter of a traveling merchant, Merlin had found her by chance when she and her family had stopped and set up shop just outside the city limits. Some of the herbs on display were wilting, so she used her 'Gift', as her father called it, to revive them a little. Merlin saw her do this, and in the matter of three hours she was signed on as his second apprentice. Horvath had already been with him for several years, and at first didn't take to Veronica working with him. She was only 12 when he was 17, and Merlin treated her like a prodigy. Horvath had ignored her for the first few months, spending all his free time in the armory, practicing obsessively with his beloved swords until the wee hours of the morning. He eventually began to come around when he realized that she wasn't a threat, throwing in a few words of greeting in the mornings, giving her advice on stance and such when he'd find her practicing. She looked up to him. A mutual fondness formed between them.

Balthazar Blake came into the picture two years later. The son of an Earl, he had an affinity for arrogance and getting on people's nerves with his haughty, better-than-you attitude. He was 16, handsome, wealthy, and exactly the type of boy Horvath had grown up detesting. However, Balthazar had immediately taken to Horvath, treating him like they were old pals and had known each other forever, and totally unable to understand Horvath's hostility towards him. He also took to Veronica, who thought he was an arrogant pig. He'd follow her and interrupt her chores with his untoward advances. He refused to do his own chores unless explicitly told by Merlin himself, and cared more about his appearance than learning to protect his kingdom from evil.

The final straw had been when he had made a particularly lewd comment to Veronica in front of Horvath.

Horvath was already in a foul mood that day, having been awoken three hours too early by Balthazar screaming like a little girl because there was a spider above his bed. It was lucky he didn't have his sword at the time the comment was made. If he did, he probably would have run Balthazar through with it. As it was, he simply punched him in the face, shoved him against the wall, and told Balthazar to watch his tongue before he cut it out. Horvath told him that he didn't like him, he didn't trust him, he was sick of him, and he certainly wouldn't lose sleep if he were to mysteriously disappear in the middle of the night. He informed Balthazar that if he ever spoke to Veronica in that manner again, Horvath would string him up like a Yule goose and leave him out for the wolves. He gave him a blow to the ribs for good measure, then left him in a crumbled heap against the courtyard wall. For the rest of the day, Balthazar had been oddly quiet. He apologized to Veronica, and to Horvath for being such a pain. Two weeks later, the boys were inseparable.

The complications had started several years later, when Veronica came of age. That's when Horvath began to act differently around her. He'd open doors for her instead of just letting them swoosh back and making her catch them herself. He'd stand up when she walked in a room. His face would soften when she smiled. He'd notice the way her brow crinkled when she was thinking about something, and how she smoothed her hair back whenever she straightened up, the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled or mastered a new spell. Unfortunately, Balthazar noticed such things about her as well.

Veronica did love Horvath, just not in the ay he wanted her to. She thought of him more as an older brother than anything else, and he knew that. Knowing her for as long as he had, the two had become very good friends. He'd accepted the way she felt with as much dignity as he could and let the subject alone, not willing to jeopardize their friendship by continuing to pursue her. Balthazar hadn't been quite so content with her rejection of him.

Twenty-three years to the day after she'd first met Balthazar Blake, she realized she was in love with him, and she resigned herself to this. She figured Horvath into her calculations, of course, but she thought if he truly loved her, then he would want her to be happy. She went to Balthazar that night and told him everything. One thing lead to another….

The next night, Maxim Horvath had betrayed them to Morgana and fled into the night.

Veronica closed her eyes at the memory. She'd been such a fool…

She opened her eyes and looked at the maps again. Her eyes alighted on one of the heavily circled areas. The Lakewood Towne Center… Balthazar had been losing them as they rounded the corner in that area every day. This was it. She was sure.

* * *

Horvath dusted a bit of lint off his hat and placed it atop his head. He pulled on his jacket, straightened the cuffs, and adjusted the lapels. He glanced over towards the half-open bedroom door, catching sight of Tegan as she crossed the room. She was wearing only jeans and a bra. When she crossed the gap again, she was pulling on a blue band tee with one hand and flattening her hair with the other. He looked away.

It was almost time.

He flipped open his pocket watch, taking note of the time. They would be late if Tegan didn't hurry up. He glanced over at the door again, just in time to see it open and the Prime Morganian herself step out, looking lovely as usual. He snapped his watch closed and tucked it back into his pocket. Tegan looked up at the clicking sound.

"Is it time?" she asked, running hand through her choppy hair. Horvath nodded.

"Are you ready?"

She sighed and made a face.

"As I'll ever be, I suppose. Are you?"

He ignored the question and opened the front door.

"Let's go, then. Destiny awaits."

Tegan snorted derisively and followed him out. She didn't bother locking the door. Either way, she probably wasn't coming back.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. They'll do it here."

Veronica and Balthazar were examining the maps and Veronica's theory about the location of The Rising. Balthazar was a little skeptical, but he wasn't willing to risk mankind's fate because of gut feeling.

"Did you call Dave?" he asked, glancing up at Veronica. She nodded.

"He is on his way, but he may not get here in time. Balthazar, I believe he's going to do it tonight," she said, looking at Balthazar earnestly. She couldn't explain it, but she just _knew_ that they would attempt The Rising tonight. Balthazar looked at for a long moment, reading the desperation in her eyes for him to understand. He did.

"We need to leave then. Now. I'll leave a note for Dave-"

"Why?"

They both looked up as Dave stepped into the hotel room, a look of confusion on his youthful face. Balthazar stuffed the map into his pocket and strode over to Dave, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Veronica found the place. They're going to do it at the Lakewood Towne Center. Tonight. Possibly right now. We need to go. Did you bring the eagle?"

"Yeah, I- wait, now? Like, _now_ now?"

"Yes, Dave, now now. Come on, move."

Balthazar proceeded to shoo Dave outside, Veronica following close behind them. They followed Dave around the corner into an alley where the eagle sat waiting. Balthazar climbed on first, then helped Veronica and Dave. He whistled. The eagle shot into the air.

* * *

Tegan flicked her wrist, sending out a massive wave of fire rushing over all of the foliage in the middle of the dais. When she stopped the spell, nothing but charred twigs and piles of ash remained. She stepped onto the dais and turned back to Horvath.

"I shielded all the mirrors," she told him. "Are you sure you can manage the Bubble by yourself?"

Horvath gave her an annoyed look.

"While I realize that I may not be as all-powerful as the Prime Morganian, do give me some credit," he snarked. Tegan rolled her eyes and grinned at him.

"Aright then, fine. But if you pass out from exhaustion, don't come looking to me for help."

"I think I can manage," he said, turning away from her. He faced the street and closed his eyes, slowly raising his hands above his head. He took a deep breath, then slammed each hand down by his sides, palms flat and facing down. The head of walking stick glowed brightly. Tegan watched in amazement as a colossal dome formed over her head, arcing down and around to cover the entire dais in a transparent, slightly pulsating thin sheet of energy. Horvath opened his eyes, breathing heavily. That had taken more out of him then he previously anticipated. He turned back to Tegan and nodded. She nodded back and took her place in the center of the circle.

Tegan took a moment to calm herself, breathing deeply for several seconds. She allowed every muscle, every fiber of her being to become relaxed and concentrated her energy. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her like she was praying. She began to chant the words she now knew by heart.

* * *

"I don't see them anywhere," Dave said, squinting into the dark. The streetlamps provided bursts of blinding light, but were otherwise generally unhelpful.

Balthazar scanned the ground. Dave was right, they weren't here. He was about to turn around and tell Veronica she must have been wrong.

"Look!" she shouted.

They all turned just in time to see a blinding flash of fiery red light shoot up into the air about 30 feet away from them. The eagle banked sharply as the light changed direction and shot towards them. Balthazar leveled them out and went to land in the middle of the theatre parking lot. They all hopped off and ran around the corner. What they saw made them stop and stare in awe.

Horvath and Tegan were encased in a massive bubble of some sort, the fiery energy shooting straight through it like it wasn't even there. Tegan stood in the center of a circular dais, swaying back and forth, her lean body writhing rhythmically in the moonlight. Horvath stood with his back to them, just inside the border of the bubble, watching her.

Balthazar gestured for the others to follow him, sneaking off into the decorative trees to their right. They crouched and watched.

"Does anybody have a plan?" he asked. Dave and Veronica looked at him, horrified. He grinned.

"Kidding. I'll work on breaking the bubble. Dave, you try to disrupt the signal. Veronica… distract Horvath."

Veronica nodded understandingly, but felt a little angry at Balthazar for giving her that job. She didn't complain, though, and snuck off towards the bubble while Dave went to break the mirrors.


	15. It's Over

Title: The Other Apprentice

Author: skarletfyre

Rating: M for language and fantasy violence.

Summary: If there is a Prime Merlinian, logic dictates there must also be a Prime Morganian. After escaping from Balthazar and Dave, Horvath makes it his mission to find this person and resurrect Morgana. Easier said than done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, Sorcerer's Apprentice, or any characters or items that may be associated with it. I own only my OC's. I make no profit from this story.

A/N: Woohoo, last chapter! Thank you all for your support! I had sooo much fun writing this, and I didn't leave my house for a week until I'd finished it. Now that's it done, I suppose I can get on with my life XD

* * *

Horvath turned sharply, seeing movement out of the corner of his eye. When he looked, however, all he saw was empty parking lot. He turned around fully, his guard up, walking stick raised and glowing. He was on the alert.

He glanced back at Tegan, who was lost in her chanting and swaying. She was almost halfway through, and the mirrors were working splendidly. He squinted and looked back to the parking lot as the second tier of light shot into the sky, reflecting and shaping the pentacle in the sky above them. The parking lot was alit eerily by the fiery light.

* * *

Dave found the first mirror stuck high in a tree, covered in the same strange bubble as Horvath and the Prime Morganian. He sighed in frustration and focused his energy on dissolving the bubble.

* * *

Balthazar cursed out loud as the third pillar of light shot up, the circle almost complete. He had to act fast.

He held out both hands, palms forward, and screwed his eyes shut. It was going to require a lot of energy to pop a bubble that size.

* * *

The bubble flickered around Horvath. He spun around, staring into the night with wide eyes. He raised his walking stick to strengthen the shield, and let out an enraged yelp as it was plucked out of his hand by an unseen force. The bubble dissolved around them, leaving them completely unprotected. He spun wildly in place, vulnerable, then turned back to Tegan.

She let out a startled scream before being struck in the torso by a plasma bolt. She crumpled to the ground. The pillars of energy collapsed around her.

"Tegan!" Horvath cried, taking a step towards her.

"Hello, Maxim."

Horvath stopped as if frozen in place, eyes wide. _It couldn't be…_

He turned slowly, hardly daring to believe his eyes. Veronica stood in front him, smiling slightly, her chocolate eyes regarding him coolly. He stared.

"Veronica… No, it can't be. You- you were-"

"Morgana's spirit was purged from my body before she was destroyed," she explained simply. "You look well," she stated. Horvath's mouth worked wordlessly.

There was flash of movement behind Veronica, before she shrieked suddenly and fell to the ground. A mighty 'thwack' echoed out from around her. Tegan stood behind her, Horvath's walking stick held in her hands like a baseball bat, a ferocious look on her face. She flipped the hair out of her eyes and looked down at Veronica.

"Back off, bitch."

* * *

Tegan looked into Horvath's shocked face and grinned. She tossed him his walking stick. He caught it and stared at her.

"Thought you might need that," she said. Horvath took a step towards her, but was suddenly knocked sideways. He cursed, losing his hat as the wall of solidified air pushed him back into the street, sweeping his feet out from under him. He landed heavily.

Tegan swirled around and shot a barrage of fireballs into the dark, smirking as one of them made contact with the crouching form of Balthazar Blake. She fired one large fire bolt at him, sending him flying back into the night, then turned her attention back to Veronica.

Who was nowhere in sight.

She blocked just in time for a spatial-displacement spell to slam into her. She shrugged it off and fired up for an attack. She kicked back automatically, and was pleased when her foot connected with something solid that made a pained 'oof' sound. She spun and back-handed the young man who had been sneaking up behind her. He could only be the Prime Merlinian. He grabbed his face where she'd hit him, staggering back and tripping over his own two feet. She was conjuring a plasma bolt to finish him when a strong hand grabbed her arm from behind and spun her around.

* * *

Dave watched from the ground as Horvath grabbed Tegan, then took his chance and scrambled back into the bushes. His face burned where she'd hit him. He crouched low and watched.

* * *

"Get out of here," Horvath said, staring intently at her. When she opened her mouth to protest, he leaned forward and kissed her. She shut up and looked at him.

"You promised me," he told her, "that if anything went wrong then you would get yourself out. It went wrong. Now go!" he hauled her around as a burst of energy shot through the place where her head had been. Horvath looked in the direction it had come from and saw Balthazar getting unsteadily to his feet. He turned back to Tegan and shoved her roughly away from him.

* * *

Veronica watched Horvath pull the girl against him and kiss her. He said something, but she was too far away to hear. Whatever it was, the girl didn't like it. He dragged Tegan out of the way as Dave shot a plasma bolt at them, avoiding it by inches. Veronica managed to climb to her feet, her head pounding where the cane had hit her, and staggered back a few feet to the cover of the trees where Dave was hiding. She huddled down next to him and took aim.

* * *

"Go!" Horvath shouted.

"Come with me!" Tegan said, so quietly he almost didn't hear her. He swallowed hard.

"I have to end this," he told her. "One way or another. Tegan, please, I… I can't lose you."

He ducked as a fireball whizzed over his head. Tegan stood where she was, stubbornly refusing to go. He growled in exasperation as another plasma bolt shot past him, then turned and fired off a volley of his own. He turned back to Tegan.

"If I survive this, I'll find you," he told her. "There won't be an obstacle on this earth that can keep me from you."

Tegan stared at him for a long moment, a single tear sliding down her expressionless face. She said something to him, but he didn't hear here over the roar of the flames now burning behind him. She turned and ran off into the night. Horvath turned back to face his enemies.

* * *

Balthazar saw Tegan streaking off across the parking lot, but before he could follow her he was forced to duck in order to avoid a particularly nasty bolt of energy shot off by Horvath. By the time he looked up again, Tegan was gone. He cursed and rushed forward, taking cover behind the dais. The ledge exploded above his head, showering his with chunks of cement. He cursed again and ducked lower.

He reached inside his jacket and withdrew the Grimhold. He looked at it for a moment, then sighed and started to crawl stealthily around to the other side of the dais.

* * *

Horvath swirled his walking stick over his head, then jabbed it forward, sending out a net of electrified sparks into the trees. Shrieks of pain and surprise told him he'd hit the right spot.

"It's over Maxim."

Horvath spun around, the smirk dropping from his face.

Balthazar stood a few feet away from him, the Grimhold in his hands. Horvath's eyes narrowed. He slowly aimed his walking stick at Balthazar.

"I'll never see the inside of that thing again," he said, glaring. Balthazar just looked at him.

"You've failed," Balthazar said calmly. "She's gone and left you alone. The circle is destroyed. There's nothing left to fight for, Horvath. Morgana's never coming back. It's time to surrender."

"Never!" Horvath shouted, sending out a bolt of electricity that Balthazar quickly dodged. He took aim again, but Balthazar was too fast. Horvath saw the open Grimhold in his hands and felt the tug of the doll.

"Oh, bugger."

The Grimhold sealed itself shut with a soft 'whoosh.'

* * *

Balthazar sighed in relief as Horvath was sucked into the doll, his image forming out the outer shell. He looked even more furious than the last time.

He jumped as a hand was laid on his shoulder. Veronica smiled back at him, Dave close behind her. They all stared down at the doll, a feeling of calm spreading through them.

It was over.

Mostly.

Veronica looked up and out across the empty parking lot she'd seen Tegan running across, but there was no sign of the girl now. She was probably far away, enjoying the freedom she had.

For now.

Little did they know, but Tegan was actually much closer than they thought. She had watched whole thing from behind a pillar in front of the theater. Tears streamed silently down her face, her hair shadowing her eyes. She took a deep breath, the night air tasting strongly of ash.

"I will free you," she vowed quietly. Magic swirled around her, binding her to her quest. She took one last look back, then darted off into the darkness.

* * *

_Epilogue_

Tegan returned to her apartment only momentarily, knowing they would probably look there for her first.

She grabbed a duffel bag and stuffed it with clothes, cash, her fake ID, and the bracelet Horvath had given to her so many weeks ago. She weighted the coil of metal in her hand for a moment, then stuffed it into her pocket. She returned to the living room. She grabbed some food and a water bottle as a precaution and left a hastily scrawled note fabricating the situation for any of her friends who might come looking. She fed Frodo the goldfish and grabbed the Encantis off the counter, folding it and stuffing it in her pocket with the bracelet.

She took one last look around the place, realizing she wouldn't miss it in the least. She had more important things to do now than worry about the rent.

At 2:47 in the morning on October 30th, Tegan Evelyn Callahan disappeared off the face of the earth and was swallowed into the night. She was featured on missing persons adds across the United States, but no sightings were ever reported.

She was the girl the world forgot.

* * *

_Finis_

* * *

A/N: Yeah, I know, the ending sucked, but I'm really, really tired and having a caffeine crash. I'm so sorry if you were disappointed. Now only one question remains…

**Sequel?**


End file.
